Duluth Minnesota 2 piece band Reflectivore just released their self-titled 6 song EP in 2015. Band consists of Ryan Rusch (Piano, Vocals, Organ, Vibe) and Allen Cragin (Guitar, Vocals Bass)
First up Track 1 “Ticonderoga” serves up an enticing Piano Ambience bass ridden groove meshed against hypnotic lyrical content, strong melody and impressive harmonies with heartfelt vocals from Cragin. This intro track sets the tone rather well for a Alternative rock CD like this. Track 2 “Flight 7 77” shifts gears a bit with its in lush melody, that continues to build into a passionate yet melodic chorus complete with well-placed guitar/Piano tandems, impassioned vocal presence and an infectious musical flow. Track 3 “March” serves up yet another superb track with well-placed vocal harmonies, and thought provoking lyrical content that floes and ebbs its way through to emotional fruition. As these songs slowly unfolded I could hear many musical influences reminiscent of classic The Verve, Radiohead, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, The Strokes, Beck, Franz Ferdinand, and Death Cab for Cutie. I can even hear a bit of classic U2. I would classify this music as Alternative Rock, with a slight aftertaste of Progressive Ambient Rock with a heavy dose of trippy Psychedelic ambience that is unpredictable and melodic. The songs themselves are addictive, eccentric, fascinating, and very interesting – all reflections of the band. One can’t notice intellectual, passionate and powerful subject matter delivered between the spoken word, with a heavy dose of raw truth and bi-polar yet powerful vocal emotion. The musicianship from all members are rock solid across the board. Cragin (Guitar, Vocals, Bass) and Ryan Rusch (Piano, Vocals, Organ, Vibe) showcase rock solid production instants throughout. Besides the 4 piece standard you will also notice things like thick low end beats and rhythms, keyboards, Piano, melodic Guitar, bluesy solo guitar, synthetic sound effects and lush vocal harmonies. Cragin has amazing power, control and intensity throughout. He sings all songs with reckless abandon and jets it rip. Sometimes he reminds me of Bono (U2) or Perry Ferrell (Janes Addiction. Equally as impressive is the how he makes each song his own making a distinct and strong (singer to listener) vocal connection. Craqin has an appealing timber, falsetto and crisp, sharp baritone and takes many impressive vocal risks throughout each song. The songs themselves are reckless, progressive and packed to the hilt with raw intensity and lyrical content straight from the neurotic psyche. Cragin’s vocal style works with respect to this style of music with its stereotypical jagged edge delivery – he really let sit all hang out. What I like most about the music is its fin filled intensity, flunked out intellectualism and song for song consistency. All songs are short and sweet musical experiences, never too winded, never to short. All engineering aspects check out. CD possesses solid low end punch and crystal clear high end clarity. To melodic Red Looking Glass” to rocked-out “Organ Grinder” this EP has something for just about everyone. During my initial research I discovered this band to be a very hot topic on a stage – another big factor to consider when evaluating a band. CD ends with Track 6 “Black Holy” the perfect finale statement for a CD of this caliber.
I wish there were more solo segments throughout the EP catalog. I typically deduct 1 star for EP releases. The Full Length CD is the most complete snapshot to judge an artist by at any given moment in time. All songs over 4 minutes tend to drag you to the finish line. All songs under 2 minutes tend to feel like incomplete statements to me.
In close “Reflectivore” is a rather melancholy passion-filled rocked out musical experience from start to finish. Although it’s primarily alt-rock based you never know what’s coming round the corner with this band. From Ambient Rock, to Psychedelic Soul this band has a lot of depth and is just a lot of fun to check out. The music is fresh and highly entertaining. Its strong suit – its amazing vocal presence and impressive songwriting finesse by this band led by Allen Cragin. The songs are extremely melodic, passionate, and captivating and somewhat dark and unpredictable. All these songs have a ring of truth to them. Each song possesses a unique personality, flair, and signature groove. Reflectivore are a surging Minnesota based band for many reasons armed with a brilliant perspective an amazing voice to inspire your vivid imagination.
Cyrus Rhodes
Artist: Reflectivore
Album: Self-Titled
Label: Independent Artist
Website: https://reflectivore.bandcamp.com/track/flight-7-77-2
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Alternative Rock, Punk
Sounds Like: The Verve, Radiohead, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, The Strokes, U2
Technical Grade: 7/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 7/10
Commercial Value: 7/10
Overall Talent Level: 8/10
Songwriting Skills: 7/10
Performance Skill: 8/10
Best Songs: Ticonderoga, Flight 7 777, Organ Grinder
Weakness: More solo segments, EP Release, Winded Songs, Short Sided Songs