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Band/artist: Ra
Title: Raw
Released: 2006
Label: Cement Shoes
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Track
listing:
1. In The Nazarene Church
2. Prelude No. 2 for Piano
3. My Elders' Son
4. Blues Variation
5. 2001: Also Rocked Zarathustra
6. Starship Universe
7. The Sychronized Life
8. On The Ship of Emotion
9. Music's Coming To Us |
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The Players
Sahaj (vocals, guitar), Ben Carroll (guitar),
P. J. Farley (bass), Andy Ryan (drums) |
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 New
Jersey USA based hard rock group Ra started out in 2002, although with
roots going back to the 90's. They have been quite successful, having
several tracks receiving exposure in sales, radio play as well as
external use (TV, video games etc.). Raw is their third release, and
their first live album.
Musically these guys seems to have been influenced from a great variety
of artists. Most of their songs are a mix between mellow moods;
typically having the acoustic/undistorted guitar as the main instrument;
and darker and grittier moods where slow-to midpaced riffing and drawn
out guitar chords is the central musical element. Added to that mix are
catchy, often sing-a-long chorus sections and slight eastern/oriental
flavouring of the soundscape.
In the mellower sections of their songs influences from The Police as
well as U2 can be heard, while the grittier parts show influence from
grunge as well as proto-doom/metal greats Black Sabbath.
The overall sound is rather original; perhaps even unique. Of
contemporary bands, this group have been compared to Nickelback, Fuel,
Staind and System of a Down by others. As I'm rather unfamiliar with
this kind of music myself; I really can't say if that seems correct or
not though.
As this is a live album, the potential buyers here will in most cases be
people familiar with the band from before though. And as a live album
this is a typical release. You get ton hear the audience participating,
cheering between songs, participating in a few songs, and you get to
hear the vocalist talking to the audience inbetween and at times also in
the middle of songs. Most if not all of the audience interaction has
been recorded.
The songs sound like they have been touched up a bit; as this by no mean
is a rough and raw live recording. But all in all there is a good live
feel on this release; which should be the most interesting fact for fans
of this band.
As for the songs as such, I find them a mixed bunch. About half of the
album here are nice tunes, and the other half are good tunes that I'll
probably play again from time to time. Not a top notch album for me, but
it is a good release; worth checking out for people into
alternative/post-grunge hard rock and metal.
Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Reviewer: Olav Björnsen
Visit the Artist’s
Website
Discography
Black Sun (2007)
Raw (2006)
Duality (2005)
From One (2002)
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