Joshua Radin - The Rock and The Tide (22/06/2011)
On first listen of Joshua Radin's latest album The Rock and The Tide, my interest wasn't captured immediately. Radin has an amazing voice and is backed by an incredibly talented band, but the record almost seemed a bit too flawless. The high production values aren't surprising, considering the record's producer and mixer have also worked with the likes of Train and Rhianna. And it's certainly not a bad thing; just a personal preference for records with a little more of a raw sound to them.
However, after a couple of listens The Rock and The Tide did begin to grow on me. I found myself later humming some of the songs, because Radin has succeeded in creating a number of incredibly catchy songs.
The Rock and The Tide seems to be quite a departure from Radin's previous sound. He has described his first two albums as "really mellow, sparse and intimate", whereas The Rock and The Tide is, for the most part, a upbeat, instrument-heavy record.
The album opens strongly with Road To Ride On, which fully embraces the new sound Radin is aiming for, with its energetic rhythm and joyous mood.
Lead single I Missed You is an honest account of life on the road for a touring musician; highlighting the loneliness that comes with being away from a loved one. Instead of focusing on the sadness, the track is lifted with upbeat musical arrangement and Radin's strong vocals at their most powerful.
The album is definitely at its best during these livelier, rock/pop tracks. Some of the slower songs don't entirely hit the mark, such as Think I'll Go Inside. Despite Radin's affecting vocals, the length of the track and lack of a melodic hook means the song peters off without ever reaching its full potential.
The slower tracks are concentrated towards the end of the album, meaning that the high-energy created at the beginning of the record is lost - along with some of the impact needed to create a completely memorable album.
The Rock and The Tide certainly has some stand-out tracks and clearly demonstrates Radin's skill as both a songwriter and vocalist. Despite losing some of its momentum towards the end, when in full-band mode, the record and Radin shine-out against other similar artists in the rock/pop genre.
Chelsea McIntyre
However, after a couple of listens The Rock and The Tide did begin to grow on me. I found myself later humming some of the songs, because Radin has succeeded in creating a number of incredibly catchy songs.
The Rock and The Tide seems to be quite a departure from Radin's previous sound. He has described his first two albums as "really mellow, sparse and intimate", whereas The Rock and The Tide is, for the most part, a upbeat, instrument-heavy record.
The album opens strongly with Road To Ride On, which fully embraces the new sound Radin is aiming for, with its energetic rhythm and joyous mood.
Lead single I Missed You is an honest account of life on the road for a touring musician; highlighting the loneliness that comes with being away from a loved one. Instead of focusing on the sadness, the track is lifted with upbeat musical arrangement and Radin's strong vocals at their most powerful.
The album is definitely at its best during these livelier, rock/pop tracks. Some of the slower songs don't entirely hit the mark, such as Think I'll Go Inside. Despite Radin's affecting vocals, the length of the track and lack of a melodic hook means the song peters off without ever reaching its full potential.
The slower tracks are concentrated towards the end of the album, meaning that the high-energy created at the beginning of the record is lost - along with some of the impact needed to create a completely memorable album.
The Rock and The Tide certainly has some stand-out tracks and clearly demonstrates Radin's skill as both a songwriter and vocalist. Despite losing some of its momentum towards the end, when in full-band mode, the record and Radin shine-out against other similar artists in the rock/pop genre.
Chelsea McIntyre