Lannen

On their debut release Stories, Boston, MA trio Lannen Fall revealed an effortless ability to successfully marry melodic guitar lines with above average vocals and solid hooks. They return to that formula on six song EP The World Can Wait and the results are both positive and negative.

The album begins auspiciously with hard-charging opener "Black and Grey," as Jay Tagg's vocals rise like a siren and the band dives headfirst into a powerful, stadium-ready chorus. There's a good dose of mid 90s rock in the movement of the song and Tagg even shows a bit of range as he dips into a falsetto at the halfway point. In just three-and-a-half minutes Lannen Fall reveals armfuls of polish, promise and passion and the song has the kind of power that could ink them a deal or land them some airplay.

"Late a Day," features another solid hook, urgent verses and a charisma that is both slick and sexy. While there's nothing sophisticated or thought-provoking at work here, the song is just an honest, fun and sincere treat that is utterly delightful.

"Miss Innocent," is a nod to the band's earlier work and features double-barreled guitars and at first appears overwrought and top-heavy. Tagg once again saves the day and the chorus explodes. For the third consecutive time, Lannen Fall has created another irresistible effort. Of all the songs on the EP none burst to life as vividly or as passionately as "Miss Innocent." While "Black and Grey" has charisma, "Miss Innocent" is 100-percent aural candy. At this point, it seems wholly apparent that the choruses are screaming for wider audiences and that this is truly the sound of a band hitting their stride, finding their groove and pushing forward to the mainstream. That is of course, until the second half of the disc starts.

"Smoke Rings" settles things down and gives the band the opportunity to breathe and reveal their softer side and while the intentions are earnest and honorable, the verses are too thin to offer anything substantial. Fittingly, the chorus is overwrought and desperate and the song comes off like one big mess. Subsequent track "Save My Wishes" begins with more guitar firepower and smoothly sung verses, but unfortunately lacks the unshakable quality of the album's first three and falters under the weight of its predecessors.

Album closer "Boxford Politics" is exactly as its name suggests, a nod to the band's hometown and a nod to subject matter that deviates from the overdone territory of romance. Tagg sounds overmatched by the music for the first minute, but thankfully the last three carry this forward. Is it enough to redeem the album? Unfortunately, no. For all the bright spots in the last half of the song "Boxford Politics" is still fairly middle of the road and marks the third straight clunker.

While the trio certainly shines in places, the latter half of the disc still leaves a lot to be desired. Since their inception, Lannen Fall has always impressed and seems to have their intentions in the right places. With that in mind, the trio still appears to be one or two releases away from their big score. That being said, put the band on the radar and remember they were an Absolute 100 once. They'll be famous sooner or later. - www.absolutepunk.net

On their debut release Stories, Boston, MA trio Lannen Fall revealed an effortless ability to successfully marry melodic guitar lines with above average vocals and solid hooks. They return to that formula on six song EP The World Can Wait and the results are both positive and negative.

The album begins auspiciously with hard-charging opener "Black and Grey," as Jay Tagg's vocals rise like a siren and the band dives headfirst into a powerful, stadium-ready chorus. There's a good dose of mid 90s rock in the movement of the song and Tagg even shows a bit of range as he dips into a falsetto at the halfway point. In just three-and-a-half minutes Lannen Fall reveals armfuls of polish, promise and passion and the song has the kind of power that could ink them a deal or land them some airplay.

"Late a Day," features another solid hook, urgent verses and a charisma that is both slick and sexy. While there's nothing sophisticated or thought-provoking at work here, the song is just an honest, fun and sincere treat that is utterly delightful.

"Miss Innocent," is a nod to the band's earlier work and features double-barreled guitars and at first appears overwrought and top-heavy. Tagg once again saves the day and the chorus explodes. For the third consecutive time, Lannen Fall has created another irresistible effort. Of all the songs on the EP none burst to life as vividly or as passionately as "Miss Innocent." While "Black and Grey" has charisma, "Miss Innocent" is 100-percent aural candy. At this point, it seems wholly apparent that the choruses are screaming for wider audiences and that this is truly the sound of a band hitting their stride, finding their groove and pushing forward to the mainstream. That is of course, until the second half of the disc starts.

"Smoke Rings" settles things down and gives the band the opportunity to breathe and reveal their softer side and while the intentions are earnest and honorable, the verses are too thin to offer anything substantial. Fittingly, the chorus is overwrought and desperate and the song comes off like one big mess. Subsequent track "Save My Wishes" begins with more guitar firepower and smoothly sung verses, but unfortunately lacks the unshakable quality of the album's first three and falters under the weight of its predecessors.

Album closer "Boxford Politics" is exactly as its name suggests, a nod to the band's hometown and a nod to subject matter that deviates from the overdone territory of romance. Tagg sounds overmatched by the music for the first minute, but thankfully the last three carry this forward. Is it enough to redeem the album? Unfortunately, no. For all the bright spots in the last half of the song "Boxford Politics" is still fairly middle of the road and marks the third straight clunker.

While the trio certainly shines in places, the latter half of the disc still leaves a lot to be desired. Since their inception, Lannen Fall has always impressed and seems to have their intentions in the right places. With that in mind, the trio still appears to be one or two releases away from their big score. That being said, put the band on the radar and remember they were an Absolute 100 once. They'll be famous sooner or later. - www.absolutepunk.net