Aurora album review

Aurora Reviewed: 11.12.08 After listening to Aurora's self-titled album the first thing that really stood out to me was the mix. I didn't have to dig to get to the idea of the band. Jared MacFarlane and Luke Bechtel did a fabulous job mixing Aurora. I was able to get a very clear idea of the band immediately; the tone was rich and full. This is a great benefit for Aurora; it presents them as a serious band and clearly shows their extraordinary talent. The second thing I noticed about Aurora was the voice of lead singer, Tyler Eide. He has an exceptional middle range, airy, sexy voice. It's hard to choose a track where Tyler's voice is most likeable. It's the kind of voice that you don't mind listening to over and over again, the kind that could easily appeal to wishy washy teens as well as aged music fans. It's quite a gift to have a voice that both a teenager and their parents can appreciate. Aurora exudes immense emotion and passes that on to the listener through the rises and falls in their songs. The strings played by Brian and Beth Eichelberger and Jared MacFarlane amplify the intensity and passion of the music. It's the fullness and emotional elements of Aurora that I really enjoy. Most of their songs begin with a crescendo of effortless melodies, resonating until the entrance of the vocals breaks it. It's easy to picture their songs being used in movies at pivotal, heartbreaking moments. The only real exception to my obvious favor of the album is the last track, Carousel. I like the last track very much; the music is lead by an acoustic guitar, the lyrics are sweet and Tyler's vocals are great. However, the female vocals paired with Tyler's airy, sexy, smooth voice are not far from awkward. Lerin Herzer, who plays keys beautifully in the band, frequently uses a very high and fast vibrato that is so opposite of Tyler's vocal style. Lerin's vocals paired with Tyler's in this particular song breaks up the song very harshly. Although I do like the harmonies Lerin does in Shimmer. All in all Aurora possess' the right kind of mainstream likeability and have an obvious seriousness about giving their lives to music. They have great potential to become a universally well-liked band. Favourite track : Number 4: London Reviewed by: Jacquee Sovereign : Northwestbands.com Rating: 3 out of 4