The sophomore album by Minnesota pop-rock band Alva Star shines for the most part, but that doesn't come without several black eyes. Lead vocalist/guitarist John Hermanson crafts David Bowie-inspired tracks that are self-admittedly experimental in nature, featuring layer upon layer of instrumentation. While Hermanson gets points for the artistic nature of the project, Escalator lacks the ability to command another listen. His tongue-in-cheek lyrics about the music industry, while amusing at first, grow old and sound trite after repeat listens. Hermanson might have something to gripe about, but it sure doesn't help gain a fan here.
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