Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff
Chris Eves and the New Normal offer a full plate of rock, funk, country, and blues with a side of exciting jam for a full on musical experience you won't soon forget. Based out of Syracuse NY, they have shared the stage with the Zac Brown Band and, Jon Fishman of Phish, Gov't Mule, Cheap Trick, Gregg Allman and many others. A great way to get acquainted with their undeniable talent is to check out their single, "Anything But Ordinary" off their latest album, One Spark.
A thrashing of heavy electric guitar chords, deep and driving bass, grooving keys, and hard hitting drums gets your blood pumping at the energetic start of "Anything But Ordinary," The music hen tapers out a bit to make way for the radio-ready, pop-rock perfect vocals of lead singer Chris Eves who sings, "She goes. Noone else can follow. She hides her secrets, lock and key." Chris' vocals sit perfectly above the mix keeping you hooked on every word.
The musicianship on "Anything But Ordinary" is amazing. The band is tight and in-the-pocket displaying a knack for dynamic control and tempo changes making for a superbly recorded sound that sounds live and exciting. Kudos to the band's percussionist who shows deft skill at transitioning from verse to verse while keep the sound glued together. Each verse sparkles with new artistic elements demanding multiple listens to fully take in the band's brilliant composition. A guitar solo cries in the midst of an instrumental bridge with an engaging, unpredictable solo.
The chorus of "Anything But Ordinary" jumps off the page with magnificent songwriting and lyrics. The song is about a woman who is insecure and riddled with fear. She tells herself that she would rather be somebody else. But to this man who loves her, "she's a star up on the movie screen and a picture in a magazine" To him, she's a masterpiece and he wishes she could see herself as he sees her - anything but ordinary. In the lyrical imagery, the way we see ourselves is described by a mirror that tells different stories depending on who is looking - the mirror reflects how we feel about ourselves.
"Anything But Ordinary" reminds us that beauty lies in the beholder and the beholder that matters most is the one looking into the mirror. If Chris Eves and the New Normal look into a music mirror, the picture they will see is of one of the most extraordinary bands in today's music scene, a band who is far from ordinary.
For more information, visit Chris Eves and the New Normal's website.
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