Devils & Angels is modern rock influenced by the melodic craftmanship of singer-songwriter piano men containing a sharp sense of pop hooks and harmonies. This album showcases frontman Chris Cron's soaring vocals and... more » expressive piano playing and elevates Melee to heavenly places far beyond indie-alternative-pop-punk.« less
Devils & Angels is modern rock influenced by the melodic craftmanship of singer-songwriter piano men containing a sharp sense of pop hooks and harmonies. This album showcases frontman Chris Cron's soaring vocals and expressive piano playing and elevates Melee to heavenly places far beyond indie-alternative-pop-punk.
Richard J. Atkinson | Queensbury, NY USA | 04/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I came to this album with no preconceived notions; my teenaged son is a big fan of their previous album and asked me to preorder this for him from their website. He has taste similar to my own, so when he suggested that I listen to it (with, in retrospect, a strange grin on his face) I was more than happy to comply.
I was totally unprepared for how impressed I would be. This album is absolutely tremendous. There are so many good things to say about the band as a whole and the album in particular that it's hard to know where to start. They're more than just good musicians - they're good musicians who've obviously worked hard at creating a unified sound. Rather than being a collection of soloists they truly play together. Lead guitarist Ricky Sans, for example, is clearly a talented player but he never beats you over the head with solos designed to highlight his skill. His work supports and adds highlights to well designed arrangements. Vocalist/pianist Chris Chron is a great singer, and his piano playing runs the gamut from elegant lead work to an energetic channeling of the late Nicky Hopkins.
None of that counts for much without good material. Well, they've got good material. In fact, they've got GREAT material. The temptation is to say that the songwriting is the star of the album, but that denigrates the musicianship. All of the original songs (cowritten by Chron and Sans and arranged by the whole band) have wonderful melodies that you'll be humming for days, and mature well thought out lyrics. For one example, the opening lines of "Drive Away" are "I bet you want to know who's coming/Coming to the party tonight/My friends are drinking satisfaction/I've been mixing tonic and spite."
I won't pretend that I can give you a list of the best songs on the album, since that list changes day by day. (There hasn't been a single day since the album came in the mail when I haven't heard at least a few of these songs.) The best I can do is this: my favorites today are "Built To Last," "For A Lifetime," "Drive Away" and "Stand Up." When it came time to chose the songs I'd add to my (moderately small) iPod, I chose every song on the CD, something I've never done before!
One word of caution: Warner Brothers Records has done a horrible job of promoting or even distributing this album. I check for it in stores all the time, and have yet to find it, including in stores that carry the band's first album from a much smaller label. Since I clearly hope that you'll buy this album, let me suggest that you order it right here, right now. This is a "Can't Lose" purchase."
You must buy this album!
aae | 04/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After hearing Melee's previous album, Everyday Behavior, I was really excited to hear what Devils & Angels would sound like. I was anticipating a great album, and I wasn't disappointed. These guys are true artists. Their songwriting is virtually flawless. There's songs to dance to & there's songs to chill to, but every song is just as amazing as the next.
Favorite Songs: Built to Last, She's Gonna Find Me Here, Can't Hold On, Love Carries On
Get this album; you'll be thrilled that you did!
"
Sign me up for the Melee bandwagon
George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 01/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Good
"Built to Last" starts off the album strong with a singer-songwriter feel to it. The piano lines blend well with the rich vocal melodies. There's even just enough guitar thrown in to keep it from entering wuss-ville. "Rhythm of Rain" is accented by a great acoustic strumming pattern and catchy chorus section. Driving rhythms, chugga-chugga riffage, and subtle piano tear down the walls on "Frequently Baby (She's a Teenage Maniac)." The track has so much bounce, you can dance to it.
Get ready to grab your Kleenex on the emotionally jarring, piano-based ballad "Can't Hold On." Soft strings are always a good method to really jerk those sorrowful emotions. The songs' ending is simply powerful. "Imitation" has a Jackson Browne-ish quality to it, with its commanding piano and crafty songwriting. It's a lot more forceful than anything Jackson's put out though. "She's Gonna Find Me Here" is a strict piano/vocal ballad with an 80s arena rock guitar run added for good measure.
The Bad
Zip!
The Verdict
Sign me up for the Melee bandwagon! Devils & Angels is a display of tremendous musicianship on an album that is sadly flying below the radar."
Upbeat feel-good pop rock
EclecticMusicLover | Boston, MA | 10/09/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Melee is a band from Orange County, CA. I really liked their previous album, Everyday Behavior (2004). After a few years of touring in Europe and Japan, they've released their new cd Devils & Angels. It is their first major label release. The difference between the two releases is that D&A is more pop and, to me, a bit overproduced.
At first, I thought I was listening to an '80's album. Upon further listening, it seemed an odd blend of Rick Springfield, the Goo Goo Dolls and Maroon 5 mixed with the tunes of Flashdance. Nevertheless, the more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it and found the songs running through my head. They are very catchy with a lot of pop hooks and melodic harmony. There are also jamming piano tunes, sweet guitar riffs, and beautiful vocals. Melee is very talented in writing and performing. Their lead singer Chris Cron has a strong and beautiful voice.
The Songs:
"Built to Last" is particularly catchy.
"Rhythm of the Rain" evokes cozying up and listening to the rain pour down and speaks of growing up, romance and relationships. This seems to be the theme of the album.
"Frequently Baby" includes lyrics such as "she's just a teenage maniac with her heart out on the dancefloor". Very energetic and revved up.
"For a Lifetime" talks of going back to the beginning again and growing up, coming of age, going out in the world to find answers.
The very poppy "Drive Away" speaks of the conflict of wanting to stay and yet leave a relationship, with its guitars sounding like driving.
One of my favorites is the slower, more romantic tune, "Can't Hold On". "If you can't hold on, on your very last try, I'll be there in the morning to pull you through."
"Imitation" speaks of "not giving you up to the devils inside your head".
"Love Carries On" is a slow powerful ballad with a crescendoing chorus.
"She's Gonna Find Me Here" has beautiful piano-driven harmonies.
"Biggest Mistake" is very danceworthy and speaks of "the psycho with the blue dress on". The lyrics are interesting including "Gonna sue Jet Blue for everything they put me through."
"You Got" is also one of my favorites. It has a Rob Thomas/Santana vibe to me and is more grooving with rich and sensual guitar riffs.
"Stand Up" is anthemic and poppy.
The bonus track is a cover of Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams". It is done simply, cleanly and reminds me of why Hall & Oates were so popular.
Melee's D&A is upbeat music. It's not heavy or anything to study too closely. It's more something to let wash over you and bring you with it into its head-bopping vibe. It's poppy bubbly feel-good music, a nice change when you want something light. At the same time, the band is very talented and I've heard they are great in concert. Enjoy!