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MARS ELECTRIC
BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING
PORTRAIT RECORDS VK 63703
Produced by: Greg Archilla
Released: OUT NOW / Website
Closest Relative: Goo Goo Dolls
GENRE: Modern Rock
OVERALL: 75%

  1. Someday
  2. Another Day
  3. Far Away
  4. Your Light
  5. Sleep
  6. Feels Like June
  7. Just Enough
  8. I Give Up
  9. All The Things
  10. Inside
  11. Fear Of Falling
  12. Lucid

Mars Electric are one of the first original new bands to be added to John Kalodner's resurrected Portrait Records label, an imprint of Sony Music.
The guys have recorded a solid modern rock album that should see them appeal to both the new generation of rock fans and the old school alike. Naturally they won't appeal to everyone in both categories, but I would be surprised if they can't build a good following nevertheless.
The only negative for the band is the unfortunate brilliance of the lead single and opening track Someday. There's nothing on the album that matches that track and after such a strong opener, it's hard to improve. But still, there are other good tracks, just nothing with the rock attitude or hook of that track.
The guys are like a more polite, or smoother, Goo Goo Dolls. The vocalist is a dead ringer for Australia's own Screaming Jets, but that's not going to mean a lot to many of you!
Other comparisons can be made to Rubber (previously Harem Scarem), the last Gun album (as unfortunate as that was) and maybe just a little of Matchbox Twenty (just for a more commercial and better known comparison). But mostly the Goo Goo Dolls.
BOTTOM LINE: The style isn't going to appeal to everyone, that's for sure, but those into modern rock radio will love this I'm sure.
Tracks like Another Day, Your Light, Just Enough and I Give Up are fairly plain for the first few listens, but allow their melodies to reveal themselves after repeated listens. That's the beauty of the album. It turns out the hooks are pretty good!
The only other downside is the occasional blandness of the vocals. They are just a little dreary for some of the songs. Repeated listens help, but some may not get that far.
PRODUCTION: 80% SONGS: 70% VIBE: 70%ATTITUDE: 75%
ESSENTIAL FOR: Fans of modern pop rock and some fans of the Goo Goo Dolls.

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