Anything but "distressing," the new album by the Atlanta-based quintet, their third overall, speaks volumes about the grandeur of Rock & Roll music-harmonic, somewhat edgy, always catchy and produced with a soothing exuberance that's been long forgotten on yesterday's arena-based performers.

Their follow up to '98s "Step On You" carries the same emotional tilt, personal, reflective, yet not a soloist outing by any means, they're based upon the brighter side of life, opting for a musically medicinal remedy to cure all that ails many of today's one hit wonders.

A Tender Idols album such as this, while it will have its share of mainstream appeal and duly dawn some well deserved hits, will ultimately be judged on its overall ability to capture and captivate an audience long before the top 40 descent begins.

Ian Webber's emotive Harrison-like voice lends a subtle charm and wistful range above the smooth rhythmic textures, light and airy while just the same acting on an instinct for amplified elasticity-the jagged edge amidst the smoothness that separates the sound from the ordinary Pop/Folk fare.

"Man Out of Season" for openers is quickly becoming one of my favorites for the year-"Directions change, nothing stays, except the love we can't replace…" simplistic, honest yet so irreplaceable-let's face it, we've lost our way when we talk of Rock & Roll tradition and sometimes hostility needs a warm place to hide and that's where a group like the 'Idols comes in.

The Beatle-esque comparisons as well as they're modern day tribute, Oasis, will come in abundance and yet the nature of the music that they've created has often been exploited but the characteristics of which have never been fully utilized to enough of an extent-and yet when you hear a song like "Freefall," such a notion needs to be held up momentarily as here's where they're unabashed alter ego kicks in with an excitedly harder edge above the harmonic backdrop that immediately withdraws the notion of Pop gone Alternative and cliché jumping lying at the root of so much promise.

"Distressor" should yield pleasant results for a band that's deserving of widespread recognition, whose talents and passion for the art prove above all else that good music, based solely on that notion, will never go out of season.

Released by E-Magine Music

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]
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