Atticus Fault : Atticus Fault
Label: MCA
Rating: 
 

(The following review is from our special profile on MCA's rock roster)

Atticus Fault is one of those bands that are really hard to nail down. They employ a lot of different elements in their music which is at times is ambient and spacey like Pink Floyd and at other times is folkish like The Wallflowers but the band they are sure to be compared with is U2 since lead vocalist, Todd Evans, sounds eerily similar to Bono a times and the rhythm of a song like "My Trip To Mars" has a definite U2 quality to it. But the U2 comparisons end there; the music is more dynamic and multifaceted than U2's. 

 Some have called Atticus Fault post-grunge while others lump them in with the likes of Coldplay but neither description is really fitting. In reality, they fit into many spots on the musical spectrum. As a result you won't be easily bored with listening to this CD from beginning to end. On the other hand, not all of the songs are true gems but for the most part the band hits their mark and delivers the goods. 

This album is a bit out of place in the context of what we hear from major labels these days, on the other hand it is a refreshing breath of fresh air. Unlike the overly simplistic rock that rules the charts and airwaves, Atticus Fault takes a more progressive approach and it suits them well and gives them solid credentials as musicians. Even their more commercial friendly tunes like "Too Late" have more going on under the surface musically than the standard modern pop-rock hit. 

In many ways this album is Atticus Fault taking you on an exploration of their influences, with a modern rock facade placed over other forms of rock and pop music. At times they do sound a bit like a more dynamic Coldplay and at others a heavier take on the Wallflowers. I'm sure they will draw the comparison with Radiohead as well. And while the songs do have a progressive nature, they are not so progressive as to chase away hopes of radio airplay, Atticus Fault know when to employ a lush chorus, when it is called for but on the other hand the music here may be a bit too complicated for fans who are used to the simplistic melodies and musicianship of mainstream rock. 

This is definitely a strong first effort and from a critical musical standpoint one of the strongest album's recently released from MCA. Atticus Fault is a band that does warrant the attention of the more serious rock fans and has enough commercially appealing elements to attract a more mainstream audience, if that audience is willing to go beyond the insipid qualities of most modern rock hits. This is one of those albums where you feel compelled to dust off the headphones so you can absorb every nuance of the music and is among one of the best rock releases this year.