On occasion things in the music industry just gel. Sometimes those doors that often remain locked open rather quickly and everything the industry has to offer simply flops into a band’s lap. Dreams do come true. Sometimes, those dreams are too good to be true. This is the case with The Photo Atlas.
Aimed at gold after landing a deal with Island Records, their debut full length No, Not Me, Never failed to be promoted as promised when subsidiary record label Stolen Transmission folded, leaving the band without a home and starring back a square one. Frustrated by the situation, The Photo Atlas decided to forgo shopping for a new label to distribute their album, opting instead to write, record and release new material. The result of that decision was their self-released EP titled To Silently Provoke the Ghost.
Produced by the American hardcore punk staple J. Robbins, To Silently Provoke the the Ghost balances its punk rock vibes with its indie dance hall tendencies. Alan Andrews‘ crafty guitar abilities and infectious vocals help the instant hits of this album, like “Class of 2012″ sneak its way into the same collections as owners of The Faint, The Matches or Against Me. Equally as impressive is the manner in which drummer Nick Miles‘ hands can go lick for lick with the best of the business. His driving beats are irresistible.
The constant driving of the guitar and the never ending beat of the drums only add to the explosive vocals in a song such as “It’s Always About the Money”. The harmonies that they add to the vocals throughout this song and in the chorus gives the song a little more of a punch. In the song “Paper Trail”, The Photo Atlas bust out the strings for the intro to capture the listeners and reel them into the song. Once they have you right where they want you, they bring back the stings to finish you off. This song has more of a electric-rock ballad going on with it that I can really dig. I get that same vibe in the song “You Haven’t Read Enough”, which is my favorite song on the whole EP. The lyrics of the song are quite inspiring. The song is about overcoming doubts about everything and being unable to quit after “looking backwards.”
It is nearly impossible to listen to this album without nodding your head or tapping your foot. However, chances are you’ll end up shaking your ass instead. Over all, I would recommend this band to all those who are into electronic-rock bands. You should check out The Photo Atlas, “Come on, come on. before it drops!” on April 21, 2009.
Tracklisting:
01. Class of 2012
02. It’s Always About the Money
03. Jealous Teeth
04. Paper Trail
05. You Haven’t Read Enough
The Photo Atlas: website | myspace
in collaboration with Joshua Hammond
