popwreckoning

Alternative rockers Civil Twilight’s debut self-titled album was digitally released earlier this summer to critical acclaim. Own the album by participating in our contest to win an iTunes download card.

We’ll keep the contest simple. To enter: Simply tell us where Civil Twilight is originally from before Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. CDT and we’ll pick a winner from the correct answers. You must live in the U.S. to enter.

Check out their video for “Soldier” here:

Civil Twilight is available now on Wind-up Records.

Tour dates:
Sept. 18 – Stubb’s / Austin
Sept. 19 – Prophet Bar / Dallas
Sept. 20 – Juanita’s / Little Rock
Sept. 25 – DC 9 / Washington DC
Sept. 27 – M Room / Philadelphia
Oct. 2 – Schubas / Chicago
Oct. 9 – St Francis Fall / Greenville, SC
Oct. 16 – The Rack N’ Roll Cafe / Stamford, Ct.

Civil Twilight: website | myspace

Company of Thieves isn’t a bad band. They’ve got the whole writing hooks, lyrics and catchy choruses bit down, but the fatal flaw is the band’s radio-friendly sound…or really, their lack of any distinct sound at all. While the band is world’s ahead of the vast majority of major label bands pushed on the airwaves, the indistinctive vocals, conventional production and lack of any real edge in the compositions keeps this band from qualifying as anything to really pay attention to.

Competent, but not quite compelling is the best way to define Company of Thieves and their album Ordinary Riches. In a way, it’s a little harsh on the band to call their sound bland, but Company of Thieves never really indulge in anything that would give the band some kind of character: the guitars are suitably distorted, the melodies are rarely notable, rhythm section is basically standard, and no quirks or idiosyncrasies ever seem to make themselves apparent. Singer Genevieve Schatz’ voice doesn’t help the situation either, sounding, again, competent but just not compelling. The closest comparison I could think of to her smoky warble was Emily Haines’ lithe trill, but really that isn’t even a fair comparison. Even so, someone who listens to the radio (I’d rather suffer Chinese water torture) could probably name a dozen or so sound-a-likes.

At times, the band admittedly comes close to escaping mediocrity with a showing of surprisingly intelligent lyrics and sharply written melodies. In “Oscar Wilde”, Schatz quotes the legendary playwright for the song’s chorus, singing, “We are all our own devils / and we make this world our hell.” She may not deserve any credit for originality, but the fact that she manages to create and place the quote in such a fitting context wins her some credit. “Quiet On The Front” also shows some promise in the form of a bouncy pre-chorus section in which Schatz sings, “I swear to G-d, if you don’t get that letter / I will kill myself before they kill me on the line.” It sounds almost like an excerpt from a Brecht musical. “Around The Block” also has some surprisingly nimble melodic twists which almost help it overcome its Disney Channel arrangements.

Unfortunately, the rest of Ordinary Riches is just that: ordinary. Schatz and company should’ve gone by another Wilde quote – “Talent borrows. Genius steals.” -and stolen a little more personality.

Ordinary Riches is out February 24th on Wind-Up Records.

Tracklisting:
01. Old Letters
02. In Passing
03. Oscar Wilde
04. Quiet on the Front
05. Pressure
06. Around the Block
07. Even in the Dark
08. Under the Umbrella
09. Past the Sleep
10. The Fire Song
11. The Tornado Song
12. New Letters

Company of Thieves: website | myspace