Lemon Parade

Album Review

"Open up your eyes, don't let your mind tell the story now," reverberates the chorus of Tonic's feverish radio hit single. For this group, it meant bringing a message of openheartedness and vitality to its listening fan base. Certainly, Tonic's sounds can be linked to many of the heavy-hitting alternative rock groups during their heyday in the mid-'90s, such as Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam, though Tonic has a style and charm uniquely its own. "Casual Affair" displays a charging guitar riff during the chorus, overlapped with soul-baring lyrics. "It's a casual affair when everybody loves you," shouts the lead singer, getting across that he's not afraid of change. Tonic brings a whole new light to its sound with the light and romantic "If You Could Only See." The sound on the track is very textured, and what's most appealing are the sharp slide guitars, overlaying the charm of an opening acoustic guitar track. The record as a whole is full of the heavy, distortion-laden Tonic sound, and guitars that make them who they are. Although the recordings are murky at times, like shoes splashing through muddy puddles of water, the record's highlights — such as the uplifting acoustic track "Mountain" and the rawness of "Wicked Soldier" — are still full of rich musical creativity. ~ Shawn M. Haney, Rovi