Classic rock for those that love classic rock
North Styrenn plays music the way John Bonham played the drums – hard and loud. I assume that Bonham would also love to sit in with the band as they play through the old-school rock tracks found on “The North Styrenn EP”.
The band is influenced greatly by the music of the Who, but I also hear a good deal of Led Zepplin influence, which is to say that North Styrenn captures the power of the Who’s “Who Are You” and mixes it with the melodies of Zepplin’s “Houses of the Holy”.
The opening track on North Styrenn’s first release, “The North Styrenn EP”, speaks to the soul. It speaks to those of us who are confused and lost, but haven’t found a religion that makes us feel good about ourselves. It is a song about humility, and it is a song about lifting yourself up by your bootstraps. It also features some great harmonies a la the Screaming Trees and brings home a guitar solo reminiscent of one that Cracker’s Johnny Hickman might have played while thrusting his pelvis in our faces back in 1993.
Lead singer, Ryan Pula, belts out:
If you hold onto your pride,just let it go and be not afraid.
If you find humility, you will find peace, so be not afraid.
There’s something said for being strong enough to let yourself go down.
I love humility in all parts of life, but especially in rock music.
There are many other bright spots on the album, particularly at moments when a chorus of harmonies can be heard. One thing about this band that really stands out is Ryan Pula’s vocals. He has the rare ability to communicate emotion through his gritty vocal lines. When you listen to this album, you really feel like Pula means what he is saying.
My guess is that this is a band that probably sounds better live than on the album. There are a couple of video clips on the band’s mySpace page, which showcase it’s ability to really rock.
Summary: The North Styrenn EP is gem that would make John Bonham proud.
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