The main criticism I have with so much modern rock – and I have a sneaking suspicion many other feel the same way – is that the majority of popular rock artists nowadays seem to be copycats and lack originality. Which is quite frustrating if you’re a long-time music listener/fan such as myself.
While it’s understandable to want to earn a living and carve out a career with music…isn’t it obvious that what made all the classic rock bands “classic” in the first place was that they either sought to put their own unique spin on rock and/or had something different to contribute than what was going on in the mainstream at the time?
So, it’s always good to be pleasantly surprised to discover an artist that has obviously taken the time and effort to offer up an interesting and different spin on what current trends dictate. And Brave’s new album, ‘The Calm | The Storm,’ certainly accomplishes this. The most obvious – and commendable – attribute of the band is that they seem to not align themselves entirely to a single sole rock sub-genre, as such styles as hard rock, acoustic-folk, alt-rock, and melodic pop-rock are all touched upon.
But what makes Brave stick out the most musically is the presence of violin in their musical make-up (courtesy of Suvo Sur) – as featured on such standout tracks as the instrumental “No Gravity,” as well as the album-opening rocker, “I Will Wait.”
And the presence of a female singer, Michelle Loose, also makes the Brave stand out in a seemingly male-dominated world of rock music. And Loose’s vocal capabilities are also a major ingredient in the Brave’s sound, as she has no problem handling an acoustic tune such as “Bay Song,” and then a slow n’ grinding rocker like “Race to the End,” immediately thereafter.
‘The Calm | The Storm’ serves as much-needed proof that there are indeed other musical artists out there not content just merely playing the game and replicating sounds, styles, and approaches that may be currently popular. And Brave should be commended for bucking this troublesome trend, and creating honest-to-goodness, inspired and original-sounding rock music. Hopefully, other artists will now follow Brave’s lead.
