Album Details

• Artist: Where's Lawrence?
• EP:
The Voice In The Ocean Ep
• Label: N/A
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-06-09

Media

Ok, so, I promised a review of Where's Lawrence's debut EP The Voice In The Ocean and here it is. Regretfully, I'm not finding much to really like here, and while this easy-listening type of laid-back alt-country is all well and good for some, the open air breeziness and empty spaces must be filled with atmosphere; all you really get from Where's Lawrence is a glimpse at something that could have been.

For starters, it's an easy thing to call out vocals for not really filling a need within any given song or over any given album, but I have to do it here. This guy has a sort of Ephrim   (A Silver Mt. Zion, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) thing going on and that's the closest comparison I can make. His pitch, range, dynamics, they're all somehow off in this way or that and while that broken style often works wonders for music of this sort, the sound they create begs for more emphasised and straight-laced voice. The music itself is pretty decent, mostly string-led soft-rock and country that is easy to digest but it's like eating a salad with nothing on it; you know it sits easy, but where's the flavor?

This EP is also 48 minutes long, and that's not an EP in my book. So, for an actually full-length release, I'd say The Voice In The Ocean isn't terrible, isn't horrible, but is no more than average. To take people's hard work and throw it to the curb like this isn't easy, and that's not what I'm doing (totally): I know this brand of music has an audience, and if you're into the softer side of rock, with a bit of trendy country twang and rhythm thrown in, you just might find something to love about Where's Lawrence. 

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