Sons - Keep Quiet
Artist: Sons
Album: Keep Quiet
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Label: SloSpeak Records
My experience with Sons has been an interesting one. The story began in February 2010, with a small, almost unknown, band, taking on the moniker of Sons of God, and releasing a three song EP titled The Genesis Prologue through the non-profit music community Come&Live!. Until spinning the EP, for some odd reason, I figured that the band were some sort of hardcore worship band or something along those lines, but I was dead wrong. What I heard instead was a catchy, intense, and passionate dose of indie rock, tied together with very spiritually insightful lyrics. Fast forward two years later, and the band is now known solely as Sons, and have signed to SloSpeak Records (formerly Eden Records) to release their debut full length album, Keep Quiet, after a successful Kickstarter campaign and much anticipation.
Keep Quiet reveals a smooth progression from The Genesis Prologue days, showing off a maturity and cohesiveness in the band's musicianship. Frontman Aaron Newberry sounds better than ever, displaying an awe-inspiring range, backed by walls of guitars, drums, and varying sections of piano and strings. To sum up the album's sound, it would be something like the edginess of Thrice and My Epic mixed with the melodies of Copeland and Deas Vail. The lyrical aspects of Newberry and Sons are also something to be marveled at. A story of hope, doubt, and finding a true, lasting faith in God are expressed through the twelve songs of Keep Quiet, each fitting together like pieces in a puzzle, while having an individuality to be listened to alone, offering a clear message.
"Masters of the Flattery," "Doubt," and "Under The Sun" all glow with untapped energy, specifically found in the driving, heavy guitars riffs, and anthemic adrenaline. "Under The Sun" is perhaps the album's heaviest song, with an intensity overflowing from the guitars, while the redone version of "Doubt" offers a bit more bulk, mainly in the production value, than its 2010 version. The aforementioned Copeland influence is heard in "Believe In Something" and "Ghosts," the latter taking on a delicacy, and the hope of "giving into a Love that sustains." "Sea of Glass" even adds an ambient piece to the table, coming mid album, with slow, murky picked strings, following another re-recorded song from The Genesis Prologue, the piano-laden "Caution," which has a slowed tempo, and soft harmonies, seamlessly flowing into a bursting crescendo. A slight, eerie experimental essence is found on the album's climatic closer, "Is This A Dry Season or Agnosticism?," where the story of Keep Quiet comes to an end and sorrowful realization, heavily questioning the American "Christian nation."
Overall: It's still early in the year, but Sons have perhaps created one of the best albums of 2012, with the long awaited release of Keep Quiet. The band have crafted a heavily emotional collection of indie rock, sonically astounding in just about every way, from the edgy guitars and percussion to the intricacy of Aaron Newberry's powerful vocals. The two year wait for a full length album from Sons was undoubtedly worth it, and words can't begin to describe some of the deep spiritual doubt, hope, and questioning laced throughout the genre defying album that Keep Quiet truly is. You do not want to miss the breakthrough of Sons, and Keep Quiet is a necessity for fans of Thrice, My Epic, and Copeland.
Rating: 10/10
Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan
Tracklisting:
- Masters of the Flattery
- Believe In Something
- Keep Quiet
- Retribution
- Caution
- Sea of Glass
- Doubt
- Under The Sun
- Ghosts
- Son On The Run
- The Devil and I
- Is This A Dry Season or Agnosticism?
