Listening to Orange Juice's "Tides Keep Changing" - A personal review

Upon listening to the music of the band of some musician friends, I felt compelled enough to review their new independent album below:

Orange Juice's album, Tides Keep Changing

The independent release of the Floridian based band, Orange Juice's Tides Keep Changing can be described in many ways. There are many feelings and styles which this album provokes, ranging from Reggae, Funk, Alternative Rock and Soul. Orange Juice's influence from Red Hot Chili Peppers is also strikingly apparent but not to be confused with a cheap or simple imitation of the latter. They may be likened unto the reggae-rock band, 311 as well. Regardless of their influence or similarities to other bands, they are distinct. One word to describe this album within the context of each individual song is harmony. The band lacks dissonance with reinforcement of harmonic and melodic sounds from Kyle Roeser's rhythmic drumming, Alex Casement's guitar chords and Hunter Robinson's light yet soulful voice along with his subtle guitar bass lines. The band's back up vocals and secondary vocals by Kyle Roeser in particular, are subtle interjections that are treatises when they arrive. Although at first listen, the band may seem as nothing more than a jam band with pleasing or complimentary tunes but after repeated visits, the album reveals deeper content and complexity, particularly within its lyrics. Songs like "New Road" or "Somedays" carry lyric content to which everyone or most people can relate to, basically a universal quality. Even songs such as "Broke Local Foolish Goon," despite the song's title, resonates with simple yet notable lyrics which emit soulful honesty. "Don't Waste Your Worries" and "Fly" are conscious and reflective tracks which can be taken as subtly soothing and uplifting. "151" and "Music Makes You Move" are songs that set the tone for the band's jam style along the lines of reggae-rock. Then songs such as "Killing Time," "What Keeps the Love Alive," "Rewind" and "Confusion" let the harmonious guitar chords, melodies and bass lines dictate the song as the vocals and drums follow. In the song, "Somedays," the band's vocal mutuality is expressed with a resonating chorus line. You sense the band's continual growth with a consistent sound especially if their mixtape, The Feeling is given a listen. Also knowing the short period of time (over a span of about 3 months) and conditions (in-house studio) in which these tracks were made, their talent is exemplary to say the least. I personally think the band's potential is clear with their current material and they are definitely on the right track to highly reputable works.