New York, NY (Top40 Charts) This Is Just The Beginning Of The "End Of The Times" on Bongo Boy Records as The Corridors released their new album END OF THE TIMES and are receiving a raving review by The Grouch from Sweden.
Hej America!
The folks at Bongo Boy Records have asked me to give a listen and share my thoughts about a new album by a band they have just signed. The name of the band is The Corridors and they are out of Tel Aviv,Yafo, Israel. This fact alone is pretty cool. I usually don't think of
Israel as a Rock and Roll powerhouse, however I have been wrong before and am sure I will be wrong again (just ask my ex-wife). The name of the album is END OF THE TIMES and was just released on the 19th of May 2017.
The band lists INXS and U2 and the
Smashing Pumpkins as their influences. I like some of INXS' music and I dig that Rat in a Cage song by the Smashing Pumpkins. I really like early U2. (I am still trying to figure out the exact drum pattern to Sunday Bloody Sunday.)
With this in mind I cued up END OF THE TIMES.
Track 1 - Stop The World -The band is very melodic. It is clear from the opening bars that they can play. The vocals are mellow and hypnotic. I can imagine people holding lighters and swaying back and forth. They even have the obligatory echoing vocals.
Track 2 - Autumn Leaves - This track opens up with a slightly funkier beat. Don't be mislead by the acoustic chords being strummed at the beginning. Soon into the song, the drums kick in along with a rocking electric guitar. About midway through the song the guitar opens up and shows us these guys are indeed a Rock and Roll band. Once again the singer sounds good, I am starting to really like his voice.
Track 3 - Part Of You - The guitar and drums in this song do remind me of U2. Honestly, I am not even paying attention to the vocals. What I mean is that they sound good; so good that I couldn't care less about the words (Sorry Man). What I am grooving to is the music. I really like what the drummer is doing and the guitars rock in an intensely mellow way, think
Jeff Beck in his Jazz period.
Track 4 - Face Of The Ground - Here we go! This is a straight up Rock and Roll song. Is that a tambourine I hear? I find myself smiling and keeping time with the drummer. The keys and guitars work well together while the bass and drums are locked in. Once again the vocals sound good.
Track 5 - Delicate Condition - Right from the start you can hear the lead scream! The bass and drums add a killer groove while the rhythm guitar fills in the spaces nicely. Once again the vocals are hypnotic. It's during the solo that I really hear the keys dancing around the edges of the song. All in all, this is a very good track.
Track 6 - I Have Died A Thousand Times - I like the interaction between the acoustic and electric guitars while the drums pound out a simplistic yet powerful beat. The bass lays down a groovy bottom while the keys add a little mystic. More than anything this reminds me of a track of Guns N Roses Use Your Illusion. I really like the massive jam that comes in towards the end. The man can make some noise!
Track 7 - Just Like The Way She Though It Will Be - The keys dominate the intro to this song. I dig it. I can imagine if one were under the influence of some physician prescribed THC the keys would sound even more awesome. The vocals and keys are simply fantastic. I find myself enjoying, but not really paying attention to the guitars (until the leads come in of course, but they are quickly eclipsed by the keyboard.) Well done, guys, well done!
Track 8 -
Grace - The keyboard starts out this song with something that reminds me of Supertramp. The vocals are actually beautiful. What is that stringed instrument I hear? It sounds like a violin. This is simply a very pretty song!
Track 9 - Raindrops - Keys start out again, but they are quickly followed by a funky bass and an Edge like guitar. The drums, bass and keys working together simply ooze soul. This is one of the most rocking choruses I have heard in a long time. The highlight of the song for me is when the bass and drums lock in and groove in an oh so funky jam. The keyboard comes in and the cool factor increases by 10.
Track 10 - End of The Times - Man, I like the guitar in this song. The man can play. Not to be out done the drummer lays down a wicked beat complete with rocking fills that coincide with the guitar - excellent work guys! What surprises me the most about this song is that the vocalist has adopted a kind of whine. Whine sounds so negative, but this sounds really good. In fact the tone of his voice adds to the song.
Track 11 - Chain Reaction - I like the quasi-disco groove at the beginning before the power chords blow the roof off. The synthesizer is just having fun jamming. In fact, it is safe to say that the entire band is simply having fun. I love it when I can hear that the musicians are enjoying themselves. The cool thing about this song is that everyone in the band gets a chance to shine - and shine they do. This is, in my opinion, the best song on the album.
Track 12 - Free
Spirit - Get ready for a slow jam. The drums lay down a basic, solid beat. The guitar intro is almost Claptionesque. This is a singer's song as he tells us about free spirit hearing the calls. The drummer does throw in some nice fills and then the guitar ERUPTS.
Now I am smiling with that goofy grin I get when I totally dig what I hear. I'll tell you this, a guitar does not have to blaze to be smoking hot - this cat goes for the slow burn and it is white hot.
Track 13 - Empty Holes - This track is kind of odd. One the one hand everyone is jamming and all together, then all of a sudden the bottom takes over and he uses some kind of effect on his voice. It is kind of the way I would imagine a real Ziggy
Stardust would sing. Then the band is back together doing their thing. I want to listen to this track again, it is not only good, but interesting.
Track 14 - Wild As A River - Once again I am thinking of that physician prescribed, for medical use only, THC. To borrow a word from the hippies, as much as it pains me to do so, this song is not just groovy man, it's far out!
Track 15 - Inspired Visions - The album concludes with their signature sound. The song is a tad on the mellow side, but has moments of musical explosiveness. They make use of every instrument the band can play while the singer hits some awesome notes. Listen to this song, I think you will dig it as much as I do.
So what is the bottom line? The Corridors are a good band and END OF THE TIMES is a good album. I enjoyed it and I think you will as well.- The Grouch
Download
Digital Album at iTunes.
Physical Album at www.bongoboyrecords.com/thecorridors
