Sometimes, I listen to newer bands, and they remind me of older,
often broken-up groups. More often than not, this comparison is
quite flattering, as the newer artists or band incorporates some of
the previous group’s sound into theirs, all the while carving out
their own unique niche.
After listening to
Pacific from The Rumors, I remembered just how much I liked
(and how much I miss) Toad The Wet Sprocket. This 12-song disc has
a lot of pleasant material on it, and while the band is still very
much in the process of finding their own voice in this market, they
seem like they’re well on their way towards making a big name for
themselves.
The band – rhythm guitarist/vocalist Rob Marlin,
bassist/vocalist Sam Powers, lead guitarist Jon Beyl and
drummer/vocalist John Shireman – is very much rooted in the world
of light alternative rock, just like Toad The Wet Sprocket were.
Their style of gentle rock with a Byrds-like jangle on occasion is
very pleasant to listen to, whether you’re just listening to the
disc after breaking the shrinkwrap or you’re on your 20th
listen.
Tracks like “Yesterday Again,” “Strange Days,” “Sacrifice” and
“The Nashville Song” all stand out as proof that The Rumors have
the talent to raise themselves from small-label upstarts to a group
who may be one or two steps away from the spotlight. While I would
have liked to have heard more harmony vocals to flesh out the
overall sound, what they’ve created is still good; in a way, maybe
it’s better that they leaned towards minimalism this time
around.
There are one or two missteps on
Pacific, like “Don’t Matter,” a song I just could not get
into no matter how many times I listened to the disc. But these
mistakes are few, and are not anything that would kill the album
overall. If anything, I’d write these off as “growing pains” that
every single band goes through at their start.
What The Rumors need to do, in the interim, is to continue
developing their own sound and style. Reminding me of Toad the Wet
Sprocket on first impression is fine, but they do want to avoid the
trap of becoming branded as a Toad wannabe on future releases. This
is something that will be accomplished with more time together in
the studio and on the road, so I’m sure this is something the band
will easily accomplish.
Pacific is a pleasant first taste from a band who might be
on the short track to fame, if given the right breaks. This is a
disc you might have to search for, but if you like rock with a
touch of alternative thrown in, then The Rumors are a band you’ll
definitely want to check out.
