A funny thing happened when I was listening to Sacrifice at work: a friend of mine stuck his head in my office, listened for a few seconds, and said "Is that the new Pearl Jam CD?". He listened for a few more seconds, then stated, "no...I can understand the words".
It was easy to see why he would say that. Fringe's second album is what I describe as "melodic grunge", but it also relies heavily on a Dave Matthews Band style vibe, while mixing in occasional bursts of Bush and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
We all one day will die
But what are you dying for?
These lines are from "Killing Kind," a story of the conflicting natures of peace and anger that rage within us. "One More Day to There" is about the day to day existence, about keeping focused on Heaven while living on Earth. The latter melds the styles of The Call with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
"Keep Me" has a Flea-like bass line, providing it with a funkiness absent from the rest of the disc. "Replace" is more Dave Matthews/John Mayer-like. "Late Evening" pleads for love, and "Mercy" is a wish that we would show that trait in our own lives.
Half grunge, half jam band, Fringe's Sacrifice will hook you immediately with the music. After that, examine the lyrics and realize how rare it is when both are excellent.
4 tocks
