ALBUM REVIEW: Melee
- Posted on August 18, 2008 11:19 AM
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Melee
Melee ‘Devils and Angels’ Review
Review by Laura Yates
‘Devils and Angels’ by the Orange County based band Melee is definitely a new favourite of mine. With a wide spectrum of tracks, the overall sound is very sunny American rock pop and reminiscent of Maroon 5 and the Goo Goo Dolls in places. What makes Melee unique is the voice of lead singer and keyboard player Chris Cron. Despite the band being in their early twenties his voice is mature way beyond his years and has the potential in time to be compared to some of the great rock voices.
The tracks themselves are a combination of the typical coming of age anthems, experiences with stalker girls, and of course the inevitable love songs you may imagine from this type of piano based pop/rock band. However the vocal quality delivered by Cron mixed with the rocky guitars and superb backing vocals adds a different dimension to Melee’s sound. Indeed, the subjects explored are a little ‘cheesy’ but they certainly do it with style. I think that the youthfulness of the band is portrayed in tracks such as ‘Built to Last’ which looks at the general struggle in life but the message is that ultimately we must see the good and continue to be positive. The track ‘Frequently Baby’ is one of the most poppy songs on the album and also demonstrates Cron’s skills as not only a vocalist but also a musician whereby he plays an outstanding keyboard solo. My personal favourite is ‘You Got’ where as soon as the rocky guitar riff kicks in, it reminds you of Maroon 5 (a band that I’m sure Melee wouldn’t mind being compared to)! The melody is hypnotically catchy and Cron’s voice seems to transcend to a completely new level.
The one song which I feel ties the album together is the incredibly soulful ‘Can’t Hold On’. Again Cron’s vocal ability surpasses itself and as a listener you somehow feel completely immersed in the story of losing someone and the rollercoaster of emotions attached to this. I think that this song in particular is where the listener really begins to take Melee seriously as a credible band. It is also after this song that the album becomes a great deal more soulful with further tracks such as ‘She’s Gonna Find Me Here’.
Melee is definitely a band to look out for. Their music has a real sense of fun and optimism – you can imagine teenagers dancing to them at a stereotypical American house party whilst at the same time know that adults will also appreciate their sound. Clearly the songwriting skills of the band allow them to make their music appealing to many tastes and ages. Ultimately Chris Cron is a massive fresh new talent and makes this album an i-pod essential.
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