Awake And Alert “Devil In A Lambskin Suit” (Five One Inc.)
Hailing from Mesa, Arizona, Awake And Alert play a rich and powerful brand of atmospheric indie rock. The band formed in 2004 and released their debut EP, Weight, in 2005. After much time spent writing and recording, the band has emerged here in 2007 with the intensely crafted Devil In A Lambskin Suit. The time was well spent as Awake And Alert sound like a band well beyond their years.
While many will admittedly focus on the strong and soulful female vocals of Maya Peart, it is her backing band that makes the greatest impression after numerous listens. Blake Kimball’s intricate guitar works wonders alongside the steady rhythm section of drummer Tony Reed and bassist Spencer Reed. The group crafts rich and textured musical landscapes that Peart’s vocals travel through. The band conducts themselves with an amazing presence that rivals the great Denali in pure strength. Awake And Alert create a uniform mood with their impressive songwriting and keen arrangements. Yet, the band still shows off a depth and range that not many of their peers can touch. At close to 50 minutes, Awake And Alert do a remarkable job of keeping the listener’s attention with their somber rock songs. That simply speaks to the many strengths that highlight Awake And Alert and Devil In A Lambskin Suit.
For such a young band, Awake And Alert sound incredibly accomplished on their debut full-length. There is certainly room for improvement though. It will be interesting to see where the band goes from here. Awake And Alert obviously possess the skill to grow into something special. The future is bright indeed.
RIYL: Denali, Vedera, Circa Survive
on Oct 2nd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
[…] as lesser known bands that I have covered here (and who are still together): The Kindness Kind and Awake And Alert. But, if this is your style then make sure you pick up a copy of Hungry Pine’s debut (and […]