| microfish
review (4 stars out of 5) by Malcolm Dome Classic Rock October 2001 |
| In theory,
it's an odd collaboration: Chris DeGarmo, who made his name as the
guitarist with Queensryche, drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez from
Alice In Chains, and singer Vin Dombroski from Detroit alt-rockers Sponge.
However, if this alliance seems unlikely in theory, in practice it's
pretty seamless and thoroughly entertaining.
Don't expect a sound that's a hybrid of their alma matas; Spys4Darwin have their own ideas. A familiar blend that encompasses contemporary American rock (think Matchbox Twenty, Train, etc.) that then takes a left-field twist to pick up traces of bands like Faith No More and Pearl Jam. Infused with sensible melodies and clear-cut arrangements, it's classic rock for a modern audience. The best track of the six on this mini-album is undoubtedly "Dashboard Jesus (Folllow)", a masterpiece with dense atmospherics, a spiky attitude and a nice sense of the epic, although the rest of the material hardly slouches in comparison. Which all goes to suggest that Spys4Darwin isn't just a collection of starts idling away their time, but a bona fide band with a future. |