Review:

on 2008-05-26 lekwon Said:

Socratic's Spread the Rumors is quite the surprise. For one, the band relies on less piano and a lot more poppy hooks to lure in its listeners. Furthermore, frontman Duane Okun's vocals have undergone quite the renovation from slightly rough in Socratic's first album Lunch for the Sky to a polished, more suave quality. It would not be surprising if previous fans run through this entire album with furrowed eyebrows and slightly cocked heads over the new sound.

All initial questions about the new identity of Socratic are ultimately quelled upon examination of the personality in this album. The lyrics are quirky as usual, demonstrated by the potential summer anthem "May I Bum a Smoke?" The lyrics to "Long Distance Calls" are oddly somber, but the accompanying strums of the acoustic guitar cause a contradictory response through the unconscious swaying of the head. The band has always been masters of mild eccentricity in terms of lyrical composition juxtaposed to the instrumentation.

Musically, Socratic have simplified their techniques, thus creating a more generic pop-rock album. The band depends more on the basic guitars and drums to emit a feel-good vibe. The record may arrive as a disappointment for previous Socratic fans who adored the flying fingers of pianist Vincent D'Amico; the piano is well out of the limelight and merely plays accompanying chords to add to the vibe of each song. The one exception "Diamond in a World of Coal" gives the piano a lovely duet with Okun's new voice; the result is a very dainty track reminiscent of a huge part of Socratic that we seem to have lost in Spread the Rumors.

Above anything else, Spread the Rumors is a very poppy album with lasting value. As much as it is a pretty common album in the pop-rock genre, it is quite an enjoyable record that helps the lazy summer hours go by more quickly.
Rating: 7/10