FabricationsHQ - Putting the Words to the Music
  • Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News Last update: February 15th
  • Latest Articles (links)
  • Muirsical Conversation with... Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor
  • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts (Featured Album Review)
  • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood (Featured Album Review)
  • Featured Album Reviews...
    • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
    • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
    • Jawbone - Jawbone
    • Steve Perry - Traces
    • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
    • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
    • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
    • Hawkwind - Road To Utopia
    • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
    • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
    • JCM - Heroes
    • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
    • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
    • W.E.T. - Earthrage
    • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
    • 2017 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Quint Starkie - Ghost In My Heart
      • Downes Braide Association - Skyscraper Souls
      • Dirty Thrills - Heavy Living
      • King King - Exile & Grace
      • Steven Wilson - To The Bone
      • Robin Trower - Time and Emotion
      • Joe Bonamassa - Live at Carnegie Hall, an Acoustic Evening
      • Nikka Costa - Nikka & Strings, Underneath and In Between
      • The Mustangs - Just Passing Through
      • Simon Thacker & Justyna Jablonska - Karmana
      • Michael Schenker Fest Live
    • 2016 Featured Album Reviews... >
      • Glenn Hughes - Resonate
      • King King - Live
      • Aynsley Lister - Eyes Wide Open
      • Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
      • Joe Bonamassa - Live at the Greek Theatre
      • An Evening With Todd Rundgren - Live at The Ridgefield
      • Sari Schorr - A Force of Nature
      • Albany Down - The Outer Reach
      • Cheap Trick - Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello
      • Preacher - Aftermath
      • Ben Poole - Time Has Come
      • Stevie Nimmo - Sky Won't Fall
  • Monthly Album Reviews...
    • 2019 Reviews
    • 2018 Reviews
    • 2017 Reviews
  • Selected 2018 Gig Reviews...
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience DreadnougthRock, Bathgate
    • Uli Jon Roth - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender III - Troon
    • Ben Poole - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed Network - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Dapper, Paul Gemmell's Black Magic Blues Band - The Union, East Kilbride
    • Lifesigns - Backstage at The Green, Kinross
    • The Nimmo Brothers - Old Fire Station, Carlisle
    • Brian Downey's Alive And Dangerous - Cathouse, Glasgow
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Federal Charm and Bad Flowers, Classic Grand, Glasgow
    • Rainbreakers - Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Hamilton Loomis, Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo, Lights Out By Nine - Town Hall, Darvel
    • Kane'd - NR Rocks, DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Zal Cleminson's /sin'dogs/ - Concert Hall, Troon
    • The King Lot (with Those Damn Crows and Fragile Things) Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest
    • Kasim Sulton - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Danny Bryant - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Bourbon Street 5 - Brig Below, Edinburgh,
    • Chris Glen & The Outfit - Concert Hall, Troon
    • Simon Thacker, Justyna Jablonska, Masha Natanson - Glad Cafe, Glasgow
    • The Greig Taylor Blues Combo - Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • King King - Town Hall, Darvel
  • Selected 2017 Gig Reviews...
    • Anchor Lane & Black King Cobra DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • JW-Jones - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck - Audio, Glasgow
    • Samantha Fish (w/ Melisa Kelly) - Stramash, Edinburgh
    • Winterstorm Rock Weekender II, Troon
    • Bad Touch & Mollie Marriott - Stereo, Glasgow
    • Mr. Big (w/ The Answer & Faster Pussycat) - O2 ABC, Glasgow
    • John Verity Band - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Squeeze - The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
    • Raintown - The Arts Centre, East Kilbride
    • Erja Lyytinen - The Caves, Edinburgh
    • Stevie Nimmo Trio - Town Hall, Darvel
    • The King Lot - NR Rocks, Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • Mason Hill, The Garage, Glasgow
    • Hamilton Loomis - Town Hall, Darvel
    • Blue Oyster Cult (and Jared James Nichols) - 02ABC, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed & The King Lot - Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • John Verity Band - Cottiers, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes - The Old Fire Station, Carlisle
    • Snakecharmer - 02 ABC2, Glasgow
    • Steve Hackett - Royal Concert Hall Glasgow
    • King King - 02 ABC Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - Usher Hall, Edinburgh
    • Sari Schorr & The Engine Room - Aberdeen and Glasgow
    • Broken Witt Rebels & Bad Touch - O2 ABC2, Glasgow
    • Manny Charlton Band - Classic Grand, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed Network - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Glenn Hughes - The Garage, Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
    • Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor (January 2019)
    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
    • Brian Downey (September 2018)
    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
    • Erja Lyytinen (September 2017)
    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
    • Biff Byford (August 2017)
    • Dan Patlansky (June 2017)
    • Graham Bonnet (May 2017)
    • Simon Thacker (April 2017)
    • Sari Schorr (March 2017)
    • Stevie Nimmo (February 2017)
    • Dan Reed (February 2017)
    • Adam Norsworthy (January 2017)
    • Colin James (December 2016)
    • John Lees (October 2016)
    • Sari Schorr (August 2016)
    • Mike Vernon (August 2016)
    • Wayne Proctor (July 2016)
    • Laurence Jones (April 2016)
    • Chantel McGregor (March 2016)
    • John Young (January 2016)
    • Michael Schenker (November 2015)
    • Martin Barre (October 2015)
    • Chris Norman (September 2015)
    • Joanne Shaw Taylor (August 2015)
    • Fee Waybill (July 2015)
    • Ian Anderson (June 2015)
    • John Lodge (June 2015)
    • John Lawton (May 2015)
    • Steve Hackett (May 2015)
    • Manny Charlton (April 2015)
    • Ben Poole (April 2015)
    • Alan Nimmo (February 2015)
    • Popa Chubby (December 2014)
    • Paul Young (July 2014)
    • Bernie Shaw (June 2014)
    • Lee Kerslake (December 2013)
    • Pat Travers (September 2013)
    • Steve Hunter (August 2013)
    • Joy Dunlop (March 2013)
    • Gwyn Ashton (Dec. 2012)
    • Greg Lake (October 2012)
    • Ned Evett (August 2012)
    • Steven Lindsay (July 2012)
    • Dave Cureton (June 2012)
    • Jon Anderson (May 2012)
    • Jeremey Frederick Hunsicker (March 2012)
    • Amy Schugar (Feb. 2012)
    • Robert Fleischman (November 2011)
    • Ivan Drever (Sep. 2011)
    • Michael Sadler (June 2011)
    • James Evans (April 2011)
    • Alyn Cosker (Nov. 2010)
    • Scott Higham (Nov. 2010)
    • Kevin Chalfant (Oct. 2010)
    • Francis Dunnery (Sep. 2010)
    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
  • Author Bios & Site Info
  • Disclaimer, Copyright Statement & eBook Download Links
  • Contact FabricationsHQ

On the Crest of a Poptastic Wave
Sons of the Sea

Picture
Outside of the obvious perk of receiving an awful lot of music for consideration, the most gratifying part of a reviewer’s job (certainly this reviewer) is when an album or EP comes out of left field and catches you unawares with just how good it is.

It might also put a smile on your face or include a never-heard-that-coming surprise element; maybe it’s a musical breath of fresh air in this stale age of marketable commodity over musical creativity.

Very seldom does an album do all the above but proving the exception to the rule – make that the exceptional to the rule – are Brandon Boyd, Brendan O’Brien and Sons of the Sea.

Brandon Boyd is the voice and front man of Incubus, the American band who evolved from funk metal/ rap metal beginnings to become a more straightforward yet still musically diverse (and impossible to pigeonhole) multi-platinum, alternative rock act success.
And that’s a neat trick in an era where mediocrity sells.

Incubus don’t particularly rock my Muirsical world (one man’s meat etc.) but 2011’s If Not Now, When? was an interesting and accessible album that featured slow-tempos and simpler musical structures. 

The Wild Trapeze, Brandon Boyd’s 2010 debut solo outing, featured a more open and sparse sound but it certainly didn’t predict the path that would be travelled by Boyd and his Sons of the Sea project.

The eclectic pop of album opener ‘Jet Black Crow’ makes it clear this is not The Wild Trapeze Part 2 or Incubus Lite, confirmed beyond doubt by the infectious harmonies of ‘Space and Time,’ (which featured on the 2013 four-track EP Compass).

Sons of the Sea paints musical pictures in the form of expressive, visual pop, but then Brandon Boyd is also an expressive, visual artist who has had three books of his writings, paintings and photography published.
Sons of the Sea is no less than a musical extension of Boyd’s creative expression.

But it’s not a one man band of creativity – Sons of the Sea is a collaborative project between Boyd and renowned producer/ mixer/ musician Brendan O’Brien, who has worked with everybody from Bruce Springsteen to Limp Bizkit.
O’Brien has also been Incubus’ producer since their 2004 album A Crow Left of the Murder.

All songs on Sons of the Sea were written and performed by Boyd and O’Brien (the latter also produced the album), with the pair describing what they have created as "oddball pop."

While that’s a fun and fairly accurate description of a song such as 'Untethered' and its mix of rhythmic verse and melodically charged chorus, there are 
instances of purer forms of pop at its most intelligent – 'Where All the Songs Come From’ could be later-period (Gouldman & Stewart) 10cc.

And there’s no shortage of diversity within the ten pop-driven numbers…

‘Come Together,’ the first single to be lifted from the album, carries a mid-tempo seductivity that demands airplay and deserves mainstream and pop chart success.

‘Lady Black’ is an atmospheric piece of synth-driven pop that many a contemporary pop artist would have given their eye teeth to have written.

The piano-led ‘Avalanche’ is Brandon Boyd’s lyrical explanation of his creative processes while ‘Great Escape’ is as close to Incubus as the album gets, but disguised in heavy-pop clothing. 

Acoustic versions of ‘Space and Time,’ ‘Come Together’ and ‘Lady Black’ are included as bonus tracks.
All three are worthy additions to the album with each adding lighter pop-based colours to the Sons of the Sea canvas.

While Brandon Boyd and Brendan O’Brien also perform the material on Sons of the Sea, Jackie O’Brien provides additional backing vocals on album closer ‘Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye,’ 
session musician and Vandals and Devo member Josh Freese is the featured drummer and Jamie Muhoberic plays piano on ‘Avalanche.’        

As the diverse material from Incubus proves, Brandon Boyd is a versatile singer.
With Sons of the Sea the songs and arrangements almost demand a ‘poppified’ voice and Boyd obliges by putting his upper register up front and centre of the mix; and to fine effect. 

Brendan O’Brien has added yet another fine production job to his ever expanding list of successes. 
The songs have a layered sound that is structured and never cluttered; the album itself could be described as ‘headphone music,’ producing a listening experience that brings out the sonic nuances to the full.

With Sons of the Sea Brandon Boyd and Brendan O’Brien have produced a poptastic and captivating album full of quirky charm and musical eccentricity.

But, more importantly, it proves pop music can be fun, creative and intelligent in the 21st century.
And I’ll be Biebered if I saw that coming.

Ross Muir 
FabricationsHQ



The following audio track is presented to accompany the above review and promote the work of the artist. No infringement of copyright is intended.  

Website and text contents © FabricationsHQ and Ross Muir
All Rights Reserved