Clarity

Lots of Promise, Can't Wait to See What's Next

     

Being from Utah, I had heard about Sons of Nothing's famous "Pink Floyd Show", their revue of the classic British prog band's repertoire. After hearing of the release of "Clarity" in Salt Lake City magazine The City Weekly, I checked out a few of their tunes and was pleasently surprised. "Clarity" is an ambitious album full of big ideas, lots of emotion, and sweeping musical terrain. Hints of classic and progressive rock bands pop up throughout the tracks: the band does have some Floydian leanings with John Flander's sax solos, plenty of Hendrix in the guitar solos of "Positively Evil", and the melodies from contributing vocalist Juli Holt on "Nowhere to Go" reminded me of Geddy Lee of Rush, but these come across more as fond nods than plagarism. The album's first half is spot-on: From the epic opening of "Death or Something Like It", "Snapshot" and "The Midas Touch", Sons of Nothing belt out swirling prog with soaring melodic hooks and top notch musicianship. The second half of the disc is hampered a bit by some meandering and sometimes pitchy lead vocal melodies, questionable production choices (the guitar tone that opens "Mr. Serious" is ear-piercing, for example), but the band closes things off on a higher note with the excellent "Visiting Mussolini". Though the album does have a few dim spots, there are some definite keepers, and the band deserves serious kudos for attempting something this ambitious. I look forward to their next release a few years down the road.