SECRET SMILE - review added 27th October 2009
Album Review: This Is Our Time Now (2009)
For fans of: Rock... and hints of prog and pop
Connecticut band Secret Smile have now existed for 20 years (save a small break at the end of the nineties and start of the naughties). They released their debut album, Anatomy in 1994, and have released several others since.
This Is Our Time Now sees the band...Ken Barberio - guitar and keyboards, TJ Gabriele - vocals, Bob Ventresca - drums, Scott Wilson - guitars and Todd Wilson bass...carry on their style of soft rocking, friendly music with nods to progression and seafront punk.
This isn't an album that's going to blow speaker stacks and have the neighbours complaining. It's music to play on the beach during a night party or volleyball competition. I can see why Ted Poley (Danger Danger) has worked with these guys before. He's a full-on vocal surfer dude and that vibe definitely comes through in several places here.
The title track opens proceedings. It's an upbeat song that's more friendly than a greedy salesman. It isn't technically great, but who cares when music is this good? 'Wasn't Meant To Be' comes across like an old Marillion/Genesis track. It isn't stupidly proggy, but definitely references the genre. 'Don't Want To' somehow reminds me of 'You're So Vain' by Carly Simon. Don't ask me why.
'I'm On My Way' is a pleasant slower song with some Boston-esque guitars hidden beneath the surface. 'Heaven Only Knows' has a cool 1980's hair vibe. It isn't quite outrageous enough to compete with those spandex clad poodle-hair monkeys, but it's heading in the right direction. 'Not My Heartache (Anymore)' has a kind-of-cool stop-start vibe, even if it isn't as good as it could have been.
All in all there are no million-dollar tracks on This Is Our Time Now, but most of it is likeable lighthearted fun. It's perfect for pumping on a drive along the coast.
Check out... The strangely menacing album cover.
Track List:
1. This Is Our Time Now
2. I Believe In You
3. Wasn't Meant To Be
4. Don't Want To
5. We're Sticking Around
6. I'm On My Way
7. Heaven Only Knows
8. We Ended Up Okay
9. The Hardest Part
10. Common Ground
11. Not My Heartache (Anymore)
12. All Of The Things I Ever Needed
Artist's website(s): MySpace
