EDL
Moment of Clarity
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
Wow! Imagine if the monster rapcore band E.D.L. joined forces with Faith No More... This is the kind of commercialism that E.D.L. has added to their potent sound. Tedd Cookerly's scary monster vocals are still backed up by the ferocious and creative guitar playing of Carl Weaver (see "Adieu"), but the band collectively is churning up a new mix of dance, hip-hop, and pop. Overall, this album is not a clean departure from the sounds of Disgruntled and American Standard. The change is subtle enough to retain the band's core fanbase, and it's also a clear enough step into the mainstream of pop to attract a lot more new fans. The more I listen, the more this becomes my fav E.D.L. album. The melodic direction doesn't just apply to the musicianship and songwriting, either. Tedd's hip-hop rap-like vocals are much more enjoyable than previous supersonic outings. It goes over-the-top rap in "Choice," which features guest rappers for some lines. The funk is fried and basic. The biggest change that stands out has to be the classic rock big guitars that are found in "Represent." The song settles into laid-back rapcore, but the pre-chorus guitar melodies are as straight-up as Brother Cane or Lynyrd Skynyrd. Wow! The other shocker is "Time To Change," which has a huge pop anthem feel to it in between straight-up rap lines. This album is big, real big! Songs like "That Never Fails" and "Incline" should stay in our minds for a long time.