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Album Details

• Artist: Model A
• Album: Lost Transmissions
• Label: indie
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: rbidet on 2004-11-06

Though this Sacramento space-rock outfit doesn't entirely succeed on Lost Transmissions, it comes close. Mixing atmospheric guitars ala the Verve with heavier grooves and grandiose vocals, the songs can't quite carry through on their epic intentions but they're often striking and promise great things if Model A can sharpen their ideas a bit more. The music veers between metal thud and shoegaze airiness while the rhythm section has a strong, muscular chug. The weak link is the one Model A seems most proud of: vocalist Brandon Schilling's falsetto-prone dramatics. He's not a bad singer, but he is trying too hard for Muse-like melodrama and his adenoidal voice isn't up to the task. That could be solved with a little more restraint, and maybe a better appreciation of where his strengths lie. Some harmonies never hurt anybody either. Still, when the songs aren't wandering away from themselves, there are some entrancing moments, especially "We All Die Young", and the ghostly "Le Berceau du Bonheur". Eight minutes of "Chimera" may be two times too much, but there's a cool hook in there, and an interesting variety of guitar tones against subtle keyboard washes. Model A seem particularly proud of their live performances which incorporate improvisations and an ambitious light show. That's fine, but I don't want to have to leave the house to get my mind blown.

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