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"Homegrown rockers from the Midlands of America make their presence known with this collection of rock songs in the vein of Lit and Sick Puppies. Heavy with guitar riffs, grooving drum licks, resonating bass beats, and memorable lyrics, this debut album makes sure everyone perks up and pays attention." CD Baby
To the Sky
August 10, 2012
August 10, 2012
End of an Arrow
December 28, 2012
December 28, 2012
"... I suggest you check them out because this is a band that is going to the top." Searching Serenity Photography
I've always thought that the biggest hurdle for most amateur bands--aside from actually possessing talent--was producing a song well enough that listeners don't want to claw out their eardrums from the opening passages.
While One Year Reign, a band local to the New Lenox area, narrowly avoid that mistake with production just professional enough to sound competent, they also have a sound that, while aping any untold number of influences, is inoffensive and fun enough. Single "To the Sky" gets off to an awkward start, with chords straight from your amp's clean channel and marching drums that never really feel confident enough to assert their dominance over the rhythm. Thankfully, by the chorus it's all become a bit more sure of itself, as vocalist Peterson and guitarists Gardner and Liebert pick up some volume. I'm not a big fan of the lyrics, but Peterson's admittedly unique, deeply baritone voice helps push things along.
As a whole, the single isn't a world-shaking debut, nor is it an offensive introduction to the sound OYR seem to be aiming for. With their other available songs seeming to be shooting for classick rock/contemporary, it's really up to the listener to decide whether or not something as non-divisive as this will land in their collection. Certainly, to myself at least, it was a mild, innocuous excursion.
--Love Machine
K.O. Joe
While One Year Reign, a band local to the New Lenox area, narrowly avoid that mistake with production just professional enough to sound competent, they also have a sound that, while aping any untold number of influences, is inoffensive and fun enough. Single "To the Sky" gets off to an awkward start, with chords straight from your amp's clean channel and marching drums that never really feel confident enough to assert their dominance over the rhythm. Thankfully, by the chorus it's all become a bit more sure of itself, as vocalist Peterson and guitarists Gardner and Liebert pick up some volume. I'm not a big fan of the lyrics, but Peterson's admittedly unique, deeply baritone voice helps push things along.
As a whole, the single isn't a world-shaking debut, nor is it an offensive introduction to the sound OYR seem to be aiming for. With their other available songs seeming to be shooting for classick rock/contemporary, it's really up to the listener to decide whether or not something as non-divisive as this will land in their collection. Certainly, to myself at least, it was a mild, innocuous excursion.
--Love Machine
K.O. Joe
