Much like Brother's Keeper, Inside the Outside leaves you feeling like you're familiar with this group. Every song sounds like something you've heard before, where you think you know the words even if the song itself is brand new. They fit very well into the "adult contemporary/alternative" category, combining the sounds of Gin Blossoms, Vertical Horizon, and Sister Hazel to form a style that is comfortable, but forgettable.
I don't mean to come off as harsh - there is a time and a place for music that I consider "ear candy". It's great to have as background music in the car, or in the office, but it doesn't make you stand up and take notice. "For You" is like most lighter modern rock, while "Blue Skies" has a Jars of Clay tone to it, as does "Who Could Ask for More?". "Grin" is almost a carbon copy of the Sister Hazel hit "All for You" from a few years back.
This group will undoubtedly be successful if heard - they have the style and sound of everything that is popular among the 21-to-35 crowd these days. I'm just the curmudgeon in the corner looking for something new and different, and like their song on this CD, Inside the Outside is "All Too Familiar" to me.
2.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Matthew WilliamsEmerging from the shadows of their four-year indie status, pop-rock band Inside the Outside is Aluminum Records newest unveiling of previously unsigned talent. Often compared to the likes of Vertical Horizon and Nine Days, listeners may find difficulty getting past such comparisons. "For You (As Much As Me)" opens the album with an up-tempo rush of acoustic guitars and percussion before…
