Ceilings
Equal Visions Records
3/18/2008
It's not to say that the recent output from members of Goodbye Tomorrow and Terminal is a bad record, as it certainly isn't… it's just not something to get terribly excited about. Ceilings is mini-van rock, perfect for the suburban soccer parent that hasn't yet let go of their youth, but isn't quite ready to settle into a nice James Taylor collection.
Musically there is nothing wrong with the album, much as there really isn't anything terribly right with it. Alive In Wild Paint have constructed a very palatable, if not completely unremarkable record that begs the attention of every fan of Train and The Fray. Notable producer Mark Trombino certainly isn't aspiring for greatness here, but rather seems interested in creating a collection of tracks destined to be featured in the background of teen-friendly movie trailers and the occasional episode of The OC. Don't believe me? Just tune into "Forecasting" at about the three minute mark and imagine it layered underneath a Mischa Barton's latest painful breakup.
While it isn't a bad album, it's certainly not a good one. Fluff after fluff, with the occasional pseudo-Jonny Buckland guitar riff tossed in for good measure, Ceilings is a masterpiece of uninspiring, white bread rock music. The track, "Everywhere, An Ocean," conjures up thoughts of what must have been every single throwaway track for Travis' The Man Who, while "Sleep With Your Soul In" could fit easily onto any Dashboard Confessional album.
Some suggest that Ceilings grows on you with each listen, to those individuals I doff my hat. Maintaining consciousness for one listen was difficult enough, but multiple spins must require expert training the likes of which I've never seen. Essentially, if Coldplay or Death Cab For Cutie seem to be just a little too edgy for your tastes, Alive In Wild Paint may be just the band you've been waiting for.
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