I didn\'t know what to think of an album that boasted itself as the new favorite band of Maroon 5\'s Adam Levine. I mean, sure that group makes great music, but does that mean they listen to bands of equal greatness? For all I know, Adam Levine has the crappiest taste in music ever and just happens to create music due to some great fluke that God invented in the wee hours of the night.
The album in question is the self-titled debut of Big City Rock.
I heard their single "All of the Above" and immediately my pulse pounded, heart raced, and my mind tried desperately to reconcile the sound of Big City Rock with other artists of late. The best I can do for a comparison is the synthesizer-rock combo of the Killers with a Maroon 5-esque tendency to seamlessly blend the essence of rock with the lighter air of vocal-centered genres. "All of the Above" rocks the heaviest of all the songs on the album. The sound is just great. That\'s all I can say about it. It might not change your life, but play it during a party and watch as everyone gets psyched and starts the motions of rock appreciation.
The final track "Touch the Horizon" bears an odd resemblance to something conjured up from the early days of U2. While the guitars don\'t reach the heights of the Irish band\'s fanfare, the sound of the vocals and haunting guitar definitely seem to be aiming at replicating U2\'s signature tunes.
The track "Human" seems poised to be the next single off the album. While lyrically simple, the song entertains the ear and amps up the synthesizers, strongly resemblaning the Killers.
While Big City Rock\'s album doesn\'t quite reach the greatness of Maroon 5\'s Songs About Jane, it firmly establishes the groups growing place on the rock circuit. If you like the Killers, Maroon 5 and even a little bit of U2, then try out Big City Rock. I was pleasantly surprised and I think you\'ll have a similar experience.
"Big City Rock" is on sale March 15, 2006 from Atlantic.
