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URBAN SUN JUNCTION BOULEVARD UNSIGNED |
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| It’s as if Urban Sun were at once possessed by the soulful stylings of Parliament Funkadelic and the pop sensibility of songwriters for Christina Aguilera. Gorgeous vocals that simultaneously range from Stevie Wonder to Jeff Buckley, put American Idol contestants to certain, immediate, and completely justifiable shame. | ||
| As far as one can tell, this New York-based
band has no African ancestry, but George Benson and Quincy Jones would
be proud to call lead singer Joe Trombino their own.
Extremely catchy pop-rock melodies with ample R&B tinged vocal stylings, some Latin guitar flourishes (courtesy of former Cro-Mag Rob Buckley), and solid yet sensitive percussion make songs like “Given Time”, appeal to any audience. Serious bass grooves (courtesy of Hector Moncada) lend some depth to otherwise stale guitar strumming on the mostly instrumental yet amazingly anxious “40 Days”. Yet the band manages to offer all this without overcomplicating things, and without spreading itself too thin. Not exactly a phenomenal work, but it’s definitely enjoyable and not the least bit superficial. |
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----Alicia Koledin |
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