Scars on 45 - Give Me Something

Album: Give Me Something - EP
Artist: Scars on 45
Release: January, 2011

So I took the advice of "Anonymous" (who, I'm fairly certain is closely related to "They") and bought Scars on 45's first EP Give Me Something.  "Anonymous" said that it was far better than Heart on Fire so for that reason, I should check it out.

I have to respectfully disagree.  I'm not saying it's bad, not by any means.  In fact, it is really growing on me.  I didn't instantly like it as much as I did Heart on Fire, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it.   These are just really good songs sung by people who have genuinely good voices (I've seen them live at a small venue where there is nowhere to hide, so you can belive me when I say that).  There is also an acoustic song ("Don't Say") on this one which is always a good way to get a feel for a band because you can hear what they really sound like.  This one is particularly nice because it features the beautiful harmonies that happen when Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver sing together. 

Once again, all four songs sound different, which showcases the band's diversity.  Still, they all somehow sound like Scars on 45.  It's a special treat when you find a band that understands that having a "sound" doesn't mean that all of your songs have to sound the same.  For me, the only thing missing on Give Me Something is Aimee.  She is almost like a backup singer on this one, rather than a co-lead singer.  She has a  really beautiful voice, so I'm glad they feature her more on Heart on Fire.

Overall, I'm really liking Give Me Something, but I still don't think it's better than the second release.  I like that though because you can track the development of the band between the two releases, and that's always cool to witness.  After hearing some more from them, I hope they come close soon as I would really like to see them live again.

Scars on 45 - Heart on Fire

Album: Heart on Fire - EP
Artist: Scars on 45
Release: October 24, 2011

I finally got Scars on 45's new release Heart on Fire EP tonight.  Apparently their song was featured on Grey's Anatomy, but I never watched that show so when I saw them open for Matt Nathanson (there's that guy again) a couple weeks ago, that was the first I had heard of them.  Even though I couldn't sing along, their set was fun and I looked forward to getting to know their music better.  So far, I'm on listen number 4 and I'm really enjoying it.  Of course, having already heard them performed live I have an instant affinity for these songs.

It really isn't logical for me to like them since I'm not usually a fan of bands with multiple lead singers and I have very few female singers in my collection.  However, these two both have really good voices and they harmonize beautifully, so I'm just going with it.  Right off, my favorite part is the fact that you can really hear Danny Bemrose's English (or British...which is right?) accent (particularly on "Heart on Fire") when he sings, which is rare.  That's another thing I enjoy, like the breathing thing, I can't explain it, I just like it. 

This Heart on Fire EP is only 4 songs long and I'm not sure that's enough for me to really get to know this band.  That being said, each of the songs is unique, so there is a good sampling here of what they have to offer.  "Heart on Fire" is a big, full love song full of longing and genuine emotion (especially when performed live).  It is followed up by "Tomorrow Won't Die Too Soon" which does a really nice job of featuring both voices. 

I think my favorite of the four is "Two-Way Radio".  A tasty little tune about two people getting through the hard times and getting back to a good place.  With lines like, "They can take what they want, you're my only obsession now," you cannot deny this song.  The final track, "Promises & Empty Words" features the female singer, Aimee Driver's soft melodic voice.  In it, when she sings, "I'll never hear another lie fall out of your mouth...why should I be the one to give this everything?" who can't relate to that?

This collection of songs is driven by an insistent drum beat and well-crafted harmonies that make you want to keep listening and really should appeal to just about everyone.  While the gentle melodies don't inspire me to dance around (although, they did when I heard them live), I definitely look forward to knowing the words so I can sing along!  The only thing stopping me from loving this collection is time, but I'm pretty sure after I've had time to get attached to it, it will fall in the "love it" category.