Published on Apr 3, 2000
Is it possible for a band to be the next Live?
Collapsis seem to think they can do just that – and since
there’s no glut of bands trying to emulate Ed Kowalczyk and crew,
it would seem like Collapsis has a leg up on everyone else with
their debut effort
Dirty Wake.
But Collapsis – vocalist/guitarist Mike Garrigan,
guitarist/vocalist Ryan Pickett, bassist/vocalist Chris Holloway
and drummer Scott Carle – are much more than an alternative clone.
On this disc, they do the one thing that is rarely heard on any
debut effort – namely, they create their own unique, successful
sound that locks you in from start to finish. In short, this is one
helluva album.
The key to
Dirty Wake‘s success lies in two areas. First, the vocal
harmonies used by the band. Were it just Garrigan providing the
vocals, the sound would be okay, if not a little thin. Instead, the
multi-part harmonies used on songs like “Believe In You” and “Tell
Me Everything” raise these songs to levels you would not have
expected. It might seem like such a small thing to get worked up
over, but small things often make big differences in albums,
something Collapsis wisely realized.
Second, the songwriting is impeccable. Simply put, there is not
one bad track on this disc. Granted, it takes a minute or so to
really get into the album’s opening song “Automatic,” but once the
auto-pilot is engaged, it’s as if Collapsis can do no wrong. Tracks
like “Radio Friendly Girlfriend,” “I.O.L.,” “October” and
“Superhero” do more than suggest that we’re going to be hearing a
lot more from these young men; it all but guarantees it.
What’s best about Collapsis and their sound is that they show
their influences carefully without trying to clone the
corresponding sounds. So while I can hear the influence of Live on
this band, by no means are they a half-hearted photocopy. Instead,
they take the lessons they learned, build upon them and craft their
own flavor and groove around them. What you end up with is
original, and it works.
The only drawback Collapsis might have is that they don’t always
fit into one clear musical category – which could limit their radio
exposure. Here’s hoping that many different formats pick up on
Dirty Wake and give this album the attention it – as well as the
band – deserves.
It’s not often that a first effort impresses me enough to call a
disc remarkable. With
Dirty Wake, Collapsis has done just that – and this is a
disc that should not be missed.