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Indie
Rock Show Review Look out David Matthews Band fans! Chronos is making their mark with their self-titled debut release, “Chronos” with some of the best musicianship and arrangements I’ve heard yet in indie-ville! Hailing from Springfield, Missouri, Chronos is made of up Doug Ray on lead vocals and bass, Nick Wright on sax, Heather Franklin on violin and vocals, Chris Franklin on keyboard, Chris Blackard on guitar, and Jesse Menditto on drums. Although the name sounds like it would be a heavy metal band, the sound & musical essence you’ll hear from Chronos is deeply rooted in jazz, blues and rock & roll with a heavy influence by The David Matthews Band and a touch of Big Daddy Weave & Sting. The main flavor of this band is carried by the musical excellence that will blow you away from the very first song. The seasoning of the violin and sax playing definitely supplies the salt & pepper to this tasty dish. Accompanied by the grassroots acoustic guitar and the folk-rock voice of lead singer Doug Ray who is also the heart & soul of the songwriting, this recipe makes Chronos a flawless combination of musical excellence. A great overall band requires quality ingredients and Chronos has the makings of a full course gourmet meal. Excellent sax & violin accents combined with the folksy grovel of lead singer Doug Ray gives this band their distinctive sound that will not go unnoticed. It’s apparent that Doug Ray’s voice is a perfect match for this style of music, and even seems to suit it more-so than Mr. Matthews himself. It’s a great thing when an artist’s flavor and musical style of choice all match up. It can be a less than satisfying listening experience when a voice doesn’t quite match the chosen vehicle of musical style, but Chronos has found their perfect voice in Doug Ray. Production is top notch, instrumental arrangements are flawless, and although the songwriting closely parallels The David Matthews Band a bit too much to be completely original, it’s still pro quality. Among the tasty morsels are zesty songs like “Complacency”, “Flesh”, and “Transparent” along with the main course song “These Days” which seems to be Chronos’ top song on the project. Most of the songs stick to the main jazz/blues/rock feel except for “Why Do You Run” featuring female lead vocals by Heather Franklin who primarily stays behind the violin. This song tarries more on the Sax as the lead instrument and has a Kenny G feel to it, but with a strong musical hook more recognized in pop music. Heather has more of a Ginny Owens meets Bonnie Raitt feel to her voice. She’s got the potential to get deeper into the bluesey rock style and it would be great to hear her chops on something a little more grungy, but overall great job and full of feeling. For a debut project, Chronos makes a great first impression with one of the most challenging musical styles to pull off – well done! |