Deemed Unsuitable is Acoustic Rock outfit with a distinct Scottish flavor from brothers Andy Kennedy and Colin McKay from the bands ‘Good Son’ and ‘Rock Hill’. As with all of the brother’s projects, the music on the album “For All Intensive Purposes” is completely DIY and recorded by the boys themselves in Andy Kennedy`s home studio where it is also mixed and mastered.
On the first few plays, what leaps out at you are the influences. The band wears theirs proudly on their sleeves and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever, especially when you take them and mold them into something fresh, new and exciting.
What it all adds up to is a very modern take on what can really be described as Americana blended with Midwest-rock and Brit-flavored alt-rock tinged with a slight punk edge, indeed it’s as close as anyone has come to a mythical ‘Cosmic Acoustic Rock’ sound. Great hooks, a subtle pop sensibility with enough hardness to knock you off your chair every now and then.
Musically, there’s a delicious cross-pollination of styles and indeed genres going on here: Sweet melodies, hard-ass arrangements and brazen vocals abound, it all adds up to something special indeed. Lyrically it’s crafty as well, fragments, gentle-nudges in the direction of the tale for the most part.
Often, the listener gets just an idea of what’s happening and is left to piece it together, fill in the blanks on their own. This is a big part of what makes the record intriguing and keeps you coming back to it. The extraordinary riffs, vocal parts, lyrics and compassion all create a warmth and atmosphere that makes you want to invite your mates around and share.
The mechanics of the songs vary, however, the intensity and drive remains consistent – each song with its own bag of tricks and multitude of hooks that will have you rewinding frequently. From the moment you kick off with “The Way I Am”, the music remains complex yet accessible.
So what makes them so different? I suppose it’s the unique use of rock and indie styles, congealed into an easily digested audio onslaught with a compulsion to sound catchy without sounding common. These attributes are most notable on standouts “A Little Bit”, “Head Radio”, “Just Another Song”, “Old Town” and “Goodbye Aloha”.
Sometimes it’s the lyrics and vocals you think of, other times a riff you can’t shake. All the songs are full of emotion and raw guts, and as a result is it very hard not to get caught up by this band.
The album, “For All Intensive Purposes”, is pure rock in a way you have never had it. This 12 track album is a harbor in the storm of the current music scene. Some will pass it by but the smart ones out there will gladly recognize the peculiarity and pull in, tie up, and walk into the pub for a listen. Full play this one; it is a welcome acoustic rock rhapsody for tired ears.
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