Awakening the Dream

As I sat in my local Dunkin' Donuts drinking my coffee and studying, I decided to take an hour out of my day to write my first review on this site - ironically reviewing a virgin album two days after the MA Virgin Reviews Challenge. I wore my AKG headset and got to work.

The album starts off solid, great opening track with rather good musicianship. This was highlighted in the following two tracks, with various time signature changes in Curse of the Wise. However, the first track on the album I enjoyed from start to finish was Forever Me. The three songs before it were good in essence, but had missteps in some parts.

Furthermore, the music was drowned out by keyboard in some parts on some tracks, and on occasion sounds like something out of a high school music recital. This was the weak link in the album for me, and I think the blame falls upon the production team - ear-piercing at some points. I would've loved for the drums to be a bit louder too. Male vocals appeared on two tracks, but it was not as pleasant as I wanted it to be - very unimpressive and uninspiring. There were so many generic and predictable parts that I zoned out on occasion and had to refocus on the music.

Two songs deserve a special mention. Running Together caught my attention right off the bat, and kept my attention throughout. I am still not sure whether this is a song out of place on the album or just songwriting genius. Bland and generic in some places, but a completely fresh change of pace in others. Very enjoyable overall. The other special mention goes to Lost in a Dream - the second half was just a wonderful listen and a welcomed change of pace.

There were some parts of the album that I did not enjoy in any capacity, such as the male vocals, the generic feel to the album and the overly loud keyboard. However, there are a few solid tracks in the album that, when taken in a vacuum, you can pinpoint some wonderful work.

Notable tracks - Forever Me, Running Together, Lost in a Dream