Reviewed by Steve Husband

Functioning as a vehicle for film student Brett Allen's solo career, the St Louis-based Tidewater have already been compared to such bands as Bloc Party and Coldplay. Intricate melodies, crisp vocals and sparkling guitar and keyboard set the listener in the mood for more. It seems Brett is using the release of this, his debut, to demonstrate his versatility so don't expect a one trick pony with this collection. Instead we get a veritable smorgasbord of styles and a willingness to experiment with a variety of effects. The vocals on "Surrounded" demonstrate some experimental flair while "Voices" is a fun track where delicate acoustic guitars blend together in a basic hi-hat, tom, and bass-drum march. Brett bends notes and embellishes melodies with a boyish charm that brings something extra to the party. "Guard" brings yet another feel - instead of overused power chords refreshing, high-pitched guitar and mandolin are used, somewhat reminiscent of The Faces from the '70s. So we have here 10 songs that won't hit you with a Christian hammer, but rather encourage a positive attitude towards life. If this is the starting point for Tidewater then the future sure looks good.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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