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Buffalo, New York's modern rock quartet Last Conservative
received national exposure last year with the release of their
album On To The Next One which won them XM Radio's contest
for The Best Unsigned Band. For their prize, they opened for Bon
Jovi's stadium show in Buffalo. Last Conservative have returned
in 2006 with their latest disc Pretty New Things which
was co-produced by The Goo Goo Dolls' bass player Robby
Takac.
The songs have good balance in the instrument dimensions and
well defined breaks and build ups and coloring through the drum
fills which are all techniques implemented by The Goo Goo Dolls,
but what Last Conservative offers more of is a hard rock edge
in the melodic verses with a Black Crowes-style garage
band texture. The album starts off with a garage rock slant in
the modern rock tune "Distractions." The song's melodic
rock thickets have parallels to Silversun Pickups and Our
Lady Peace. The music fields composed by lead guitarist David
Julian, bassist Josh Mullin, and drummer Tom McCluskey
have husky layers and a rawness in their melodic inflections.
The vocals of lead singer and guitarist TJ Zindle are rugged
and toughen the timbre's grip. The guitar solo sharpens the central
film while keeping a Crossfade-rock compression.
The vocal melody on "King Of Failure" emotes spontaneous
vocal strokes like Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes with
rhythm sections that burrow craggy steps. The highlight track
on the album is "The Answer" as it lassos embracing
chord changes and dynamic vocal motions. "The Answer"
is Last Conservative's equivalent to "The Reason" from
Hoobastank. It is impressive with evolving movements and
motivating successions bathed in a melodic coating.
"The Way You Would Kiss Me" ladles a Keane-like
ascension in the verses, whereas "Your Place Or Mine?"
trinkets Saves The Day-spurs in the rock blades. The title
track glazes multiple lanes of melodic ramps that rise, enlarge,
and recede audibly common place for The Goo Goo Dolls. It took
"Little Flame" and "Don't Touch Me" to bring
back Last Conservative's comparison last year to Dashboard
Confessional in their melodic turns and fills and the emo-lithium
based lyrics. "Stop Sign" and "Presents and Apologies"
return Last Conservative to their garage rock shoals penetrating
the melodic lot. The final track "Learning To Stand"
pleats softcore punk rhythms into the modern rock garret with
guitar expansions and sonic heights that rival Eddie Van Halen.
Last Conservative's previous release was complimented by Hybrid
Magazine for touching the G-spot in music fans. If you enjoyed
On To the Next One, you will equally enjoy Pretty New
Things. Last Conservative are presently on an extensive nationwide
club tour and by the looks of their friends list on their myspace
page, they are being happily received by the modern rock community.
-Susan Frances
Track listing:
1. Distractions
2. King Of Failure
3. The Answer
4. The Way You Would Kiss Me
5. Your Place Or Mine?
6. Pretty New Things
7. Little Flame
8. Don't Touch Me
9. Stop Sign
10. Presents and Apologies
11. Learning To Stand
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