Customer Reviews

South of Sideways

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

i really didn't expect to like this record as much as i did. a friend of mine had lent it to me after I showed an interest in the song "tres quatros", and at first listen, i wasn't impressed. however, it really REALLY grew on me, and now i can't pick a favorite. strong hooks, melodies and some great beats, edgewater has it all. this is a band to watch out for in the years to come.

By this point in the development of modern hard rock, one would be hard-pressed to find any band doing anything "original" in terms of sound...but then again, that's not the point. Edgewater's debut CD is incredible, because the songs are simply well-written and well-performed. Edgewater's musicians do the little things that separate a "great" band from the mass of "good" ones...among them are changing time signatures so that every song isn't just some repetitive tune in 4, knowing when to tone it down from power chord-driven riffs to more melodic parts, and actually having musical parts that show off each band member's musicianship while maintaining a sense of unity...in other words, there's technical ability, but it's not overdone so as to make the listener forget that there's actually a coherent song structure. I've been following Ricky Wolking (bass) and his projects since his entry into (and the eventual breakup of) The Nixons, and once again I am proud to say that the collaboration in which he is involved does not disappoint today's rock fan.

You may be asking yourself: What ever happened to Edgewater? Afterall, in 2004, they debuted with a rather impressive and accessible album by the name of "South Of Sideways." They were labelmates with some big name acts like Seether, Finger Eleven and Evanescence, and their record label, Wind-Up was pushing this CD so hard, you could buy it for a price in the single digits in some stores. It seems they had everything all lined up. A great sound, great connections. Unfortunately, Edgewater never quite reached the heights of stardom like some would have predicted.

Fortunately, however, the band is still around. In fact, they are in the process of releasing a new CD by the name of "We're Not Robots," as can be concluded by their rather cryptic homepage. As for "South Of Sideways," their debut, this is simply a solid mainstream rock effort. I have to say that every song on here is good, with "Eyes Wired Shut," "Break Me Out" "Lifter" and "Sweet Suffocation" being the cream of the crop. It's a bit odd that this band never got the attention that they deserved, but at the same time, it isn't surprising. These guys sound a lot like other new bands of the time, such as Lo-Pro, Strata, Crossfade, and so on and so on.

Edgewater did and still do have a great sound, but part of what drags this debut a bit is the fact that there are no surprises. The band hardly covers any new ground, and you can bet you own a few CD's that can be likened to this one. Maybe now that they are free of a major label, they can develop a sound that is a little more fresh and challenging. In the meantime, "South Of Sideways," despite it's originality issues, is still a worthy listen and recommended to all who love a solid melodic modern rock sound.

I first heard of Edgewater from "The Punisher" soundtrack, so I thought I'd check them out. "Eyes Wired Shut" was a good song, but I thought they could do better. At a first listen, their cd was really my kinda music but there just wasn't really anything special. But when I hit track 6, "The Story Of..." and track 10, "Circles," I knew that I would fall in love with this cd. Track 6 and 10 are the best songs on the cd in my opinion, and the cd grows on me each time I listen to it.

I saw Edgewater open for Three Days Grace a few weeks ago. They were for some reason the very first opening band, after them came Thornley and Lo-Pro. You could tell, despite the opening band muffled sound and equipment, they were the best of the opening bands. List of songs and ratings as follows....

1.Inhale 4/5- Really good song, sounds a lot like TrustCompany though
2. Science of It all 4/5- This song grows on you
3. Eyes Wired Shut 4.5/5- great song, on Punisher soundtrack, first single
4. Neglected 3.5/5- Good song, sounds too much like other normal rock songs though
5. Break Me Out 3/5- Average
6. Story of... 4/5- Addictive chourus
7. Tres Quatros 3.5/5- Good song...not original though
8. Sweet Suffocation 4/5- really good song, great live
9. One Perfect Something 2.5/5- not my favorite, boring
10. Circles 4/5- I would have given this the best rating on the CD. However, it sounds literally exactly like a Default song on their new CD. It isn't nearly original enough to take the "best song" on the CD award
11. Quitter 3.5/5- If you listen to this song and don't think of Nickelback during the chorus, your deaf.
12. Lifter 4/5- Good tune, good way to end a CD

I listened to this CD off of the Wind-Up Records website because I frequently visit record label websites. I knew about this band before they were releasing an album, and thought they were going to be good. Upon listening to their completed tracks, I found they were very good. There is one drawback to the cd, however. Though the CD has good lyrics, the sound isn't as original as I wanted it to be. I was hoping for some guitar solos in the tracks, and there were none! It disappoints me because it hungers for solos. Some tracks felt like they needed pianos and violins in some parts to make the mellow have more impact. In those same songs, it would've made the choruses seem heavier than they are. Overall, very good CD, but not excellent. I only wish I could've seen a little more originality, though this might be the labels fault in trying to make the band sound a certain way. This causes bands to sound made up. Anyway, overall good CD. Buy it and formulate your own opinions...don't listen to me...we're all different!

A friend who lent me this CD told me I wouldn't mind this band and indeed I didnt mind this band and actually enjoyed the songs from this new band on the nu-rock scene. Their album 'South of Sideways' is a testament to a group of relatively talented young men. I only had to listen to this CD in its entirety once to be hooked on this band and cannot wait for more music releases from this group. The band's sound doesn't sound like any other bands I know and I tend to think this band is searching and experimenting to find their sound and when they do they sure will have their signature on their music. Don't be quick to judge this band and give them some time to get established. They have come up with 3 amazing songs in my opinion full of crashing guitars, rampaging hooks and smooth eclectic beats. Look out for the songs 'Eyes Wired Shut, 'Sweet Suffocation' and 'Circles'. Good effort for a young band's debut on the main stage.

What else can be said but a glorious balance between the whole band. Edgewater surprised the hell out of me when I heard them first. I was expecting some mediocre band like Trapt to have a couple of good songs but no real impact. Needless to say I was wowed to the point of no return. The only thing they did wrong was to do the typical Nu Metal trend and put the slowest song as the last track. Besides that I give them two snaps in a circle.

After picking up the punisher soundtrack and hearing their single "eyes wide shut" i decided to pick up South of Sideways hoping the rest of the cd would be just as good. To my surprise it was, it's a good solid rock cd from begining to end. If you like bands like Nickelback, Seether, Fuel, and the rest...you'll like Edgewater.

Although I am from MA and these guys are from TX, I have followed them through their indie label (ForeverGreen Records) for years (1999). When I heard that Wind-Up had picked them up, I knew that there was justice in the world. I just saw them last week in Boston, so their sound was fresh in my mind heading to the record store to pick up the new offering. Talking with Matt at the show, I knew that there were only 5 new songs and the rest from the Lifter cd. Kind of a bummer because I would have liked a full slate of new tunes, but I can't be dissatisfied with the songs chosen from the earlier disc. The new songs are a bit mellower, but still rock. Instead of giving opinions song for song, I will just say that if you are a fan of crunchy guitars and passionate vocals then this band and their cd is for you. I am not too good on giving parallel bands, but I would say that if you are into anything along the lines of Breaking Benjamin, 12 Stones, Trust Company, Hoobastank or Default you wont be disappointed with Edgewater.
If you get a chance, see these guys live - they kick ass live!!