Viola Beach – Viola Beach

Viola Beach – Viola Beach

Released July 29th, 2016

viola-beach

I always review albums with as little information about the artist as possible on the first listen. Sometimes that’s hard to do with well-known acts, but with smaller indie acts it rarely is a problem. I do this in an effort to review the music not the persona/band. I later then go back and get as much information as possible from multiple sources. So I had never heard of Viola Beach before listening to this release. In a word I would describe this album as: clunky. It lacks a certain polish, it’s relatively short at nine tracks, and the pacing is not particularly strong. But it all becomes clear why, as you learn the story behind the album. On February 13, 2016, the band: Kris Leonard (guitar/vocals), Jack Dakin (drums), River Reeves (guitar), and Tomas Lowe (bass) and their manager Craig Tarry were killed in Sodertalje, Sweden when their car plunged off a bridge. A freak accident cutting their lives short in an instant. This posthumous debut are the studio recordings that had been completed before their tragic deaths collected on a nine-song self titled memorial. Released with the support of the members’ families, the band’s debut while cohesive understandably isn’t fully realized. The album is far from perfect, but that’s also part of its charm. It’s a reminder that fate often has other plans, and not to take for granted the time we are given. And for that reason alone, it is worth a listen.

3 out of 5 stars

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