Blue Shade Witness is a four-piece melodic rock band out of the Chicago area. This is their first ep on Double Zero Records.
According to their press material, Blue Shade Witness claim to be influenced heavily by modern British rock and seek a place within that genre. The band's light melodic vocals and catchy guitars place them more on the "accessible" end of the spectrum than with the avant-garde. The music they play, however, does not seem all that "British;" BSW tip their cap occasionally to bands like the Verve and Coldplay, but their music is comparable to pretty much anything most indie bands are playing these days. The lyrics are evangelical in a veiled way, rather simple and yet, in some cases, rather profound. On "Not Fail," for example: "I have tried everything that I can try, but every thought and every prayer is a lie." Still, lyrics are not really BSW's strength and I'm not sure this is a record that people might listen to more than once or twice. For a band in its nascent stages, BSW should be happy with their effort on this ep. They could improve on many levels, but might have a bright future.
C-
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #114Reviewed by UnknownSuper melodic, atmosphere-rock.Decapolis August 2003Reviewed by Tyler BaberThe US and Britain have a strange relationship. Americans drive SUVs, Brits drive on the wrong side of the road. We're not quite as entranced in celebrity tabloid magazines, they don't care about our celebrities. We have much less embarrassing names for cigarettes while they have better news programs. They're responsible for the Spice Girls, we're responsible for fast food. They listen to and…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Noel LloydChicago's Blue Shade Witness has burst onto the music scene with an anthem-worthy sound in their debut self-titled EP. Unfettered in their approach and paced by a somewhat bombastic, Brit-rocker style, the foursome have made quite a positive impression on this reviewer. Blue Shade Witness features a power chord method reminiscent of the Goo Goo Dolls in the majority of the six songs on this…Similar sounding releases
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