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On the self-titled debut EP of Denver-based rock trio Burn Sand Burn, the band manages the interesting feat of sounding like the grunge rock version of The Cure. Vocalist/guitarist Barrie Bodden’s Robert-Smith-singing-like-Eddie-Vedder style and typical quiet pop melody/ loud rock riff guitar work meshes well with bassist Matt Cavanaugh’s subdued melodic bass lines and Jason Brown’s rock steady drumming.
Burn Sand Burn starts with “Education” a derisive grungy little tune about a girl with a possible chemical imbalance who moves to California in search of higher education and is lead astray by either hippies, neglecting her meds, or both. On “Pushing Karma” BSB gets proggy, clocking in at six minutes and featuring numerous stylistic and tempo changes, ranging from straightforward hard rock, to echo-laced solos, to skiffley breakdowns. It comes way too early in the album. Listeners are still trying to figure out if they like BSB, and suddenly an erratic six-minute song that sounds like System of a Down on alcohol and pills is thrown at them. Too soon guys, too soon
“Everything, Last Friend, Again” sounds like a sea shanty (of the variety that have made up the last three Pearl Jam records) as performed by the Cure. Despite lyrics like “Pour a glass of whiskey for two/ So bittersweet enough to sing the blues,” the track comes close but manages not to cross that dangerous border between mournful and whiney. “Bright Lights” is a steady little track that sounds a bit too much like the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?”
On “Ruin Machine” BSB surges again with a nice refreshing dose of straightforward angry hard rock. Midway through, the band breaks into a chaotic little breakdown that, again, sounds like System of a Down. Bodden’s vocals manage to cast off the Robert Smith effect and instead take on a blistering grunge bellow.
The closing track “Shame” features keyboards and backing vocals by Amanda Ray, and inhabits the same downbeat world as “Everything, Last Friend, Again” and sounds, once again, remarkably The Cure/Pixies-esque. While it’s understandable that a band’s influences sound through on a early work, hopefully on the next go around we’ll get a better idea of what Burn Sand Burn sounds like, instead of who Burn Sand Burn likes. Definitely something to look forward to.
Local bands who would like their newly released albums reviewed, please email MP3s to: robin.edwards@ucdadvocate.com or mail them to the Advocate office.
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