Whew! What a breath of fresh air! After a year of mostly synthesized pop, worship music that hasn't been too impressive, and annoying hardcore bands, it's good to finally hear a real rock band for a change. Remy Zero's third release, The Golden Hum, is just that- a real rock record.
Remy Zero, a rock quintet named after a musician who strangely disappeared many years ago, combines the best elements of 70's, 80's and contemporary rock. At times, the band has faint traces of psychedelia, in the vein of Pink Floyd, and obscure bits of Radiohead-esque techno occasionally pop up, but for the most part, Remy Zero is a fun, yet moody rock band with a sound all their own. "Bitter" has a classic rock vibe to it, while "Save Me" has a sense of urgency and longing that most bands simply cannot execute well.
Not only is The Golden Hum rolling in rock, but it also has hoards of hooks. Remy Zero is not a pop band. Far from it. But many of their songs have memorable hooks and melodies, vaguely reminiscent of Audio Adrenaline. "Glorious #1" has one of the catchiest choruses to come out of a rock song in a while, and "Perfect Memory" will ingrain the lines, "I'll remember you/ and the things we used to do/ and the things we used to say/ I'll remember you that way," in your head for days.
On the sonic level, Remy Zero is perhaps the most appealing band that this reviewer has heard all year, but their lyrics are not bad either. The songs, all of which were written by Remy Zero, all have a refreshing emotional depth, making them easy to relate to. Most of the songs have a melancholy atmosphere, but there is a strong sense of hope and contentment woven throughout the record. Even the gloomiest songs, like "Bitter" and "Belong", are surrounded by feelings of peace.
Some may not like the cryptic poetry of Remy's lyrics. Much of the songwriting is reminiscent of U2, while a few songs, especially "Hollywood High", sound more like Radiohead. The difference between Remy Zero and Radiohead is that Remy Zero mixes optimism in with their sad lyrics, something Radiohead might like to try sometime.
The Golden Hum is truly an impressive effort. The album is not about image or trying to prove a point. It's just about the songs. And the songs give the impression that Remy Zero had a lot of fun recording them. Despite the somewhat scary album art, The Golden Hum is a wonderful rock album that should appeal to any fan of moody, intelligent rock music.
Josh's Score: 4.5/5
Mark's Score: 4/5
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by David MartinI just love getting recommendations from fellow reviewers who know me well enough to know when an album would be right at home in my collection. I have Josh to thank for this one. Not only did he know I'd like the band, but he knew exactly which songs would get me hooked on the band and end up being my favorites. (Hey, anything that distracts him from gushing about U2 for a few minutes has got to…Similar sounding releases
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