Station: ‘More Than The Moon’

STATION
MORE THAN THE MOON
To be released on April 13, 2018 (Station)

Review:
A few weeks back my buddy Shawn Baker came over to my house with his wife Tammy to partake in the listening of some vintage hard rock vinyl and a few beverages. Upon arrival of the two, they quickly asked me if I had heard of the band Station. My response was “Geez, no, but tell me more.” We quickly went to the ever so handy Facebook and pulled up the band’s video for “One And Only” from the band’s 2015 self-titled album. My immediate response was “Holy shit! This is amazing.” After much discussion between my wife and I, it was decided to make contact with the band. You see, my wife was concerned that making contact while company was over was possibly not the best option. So being the good host, I mentioned sending a quick message to the band. My guests were all over the idea.

So we fast forward a few days. I finally received a message back from the band. Well it turns out that my good friend Olivier who runs this very Sleaze Roxx site had already been in contact with Station. So doing the right thing, I kindly declined future contact as to not step on any toes. Integrity is the key my friends. I mentioned that I would love to do an interview, but if Olivier was already on it, then he should probably do it. About a week later I received another message from the band stating that Olivier was indeed up for an interview with the band, but if I wanted to review the album, Olivier being the great guy that he is would be cool with me doing it. Awesome!!! So with that said, I may have let the cat out of the bag in terms of a future interview appearing on Sleaze Roxx with Station. Well, all I can really say about that is that it is something for our readers to enjoy and sink their teeth into in the future!!!

The album starts off with the ever so melodic hit in the making, “I Won’t Break Your Heart.” The guitar line in the intro is an infectious chord progression that leads into the vocal. The song builds up until the chorus hits you right between the eyes. The breakdown that leads into the guitar solo is very well calculated. It has a very strong build up that lasts for at least 30 seconds. “Cost Of The Sand” has a very Winger feel to it. The vocal delivery is captured perfectly as if Kip Winger had calculated the verse himself. The guitar riff follows each vocal line. The chorus is very catchy. The album’s title track “More Than The Moon” has a Danger Danger, “Don’t Walk Away” type feel to it. The textured chorused chords create the perfect melodic rock feel. The drums and the bass drive the verse with the textured melodic chords being heard beneath as singer Patrick Kearney conveys his thoughts vocally. The chorus creates the mood perfectly. Sometimes the story and phrasings are important to bringing forth the composition. What I am trying to say is that Station realize the importance of lyric to song. Well done.

“I Don’t Mind” has an early Bon Jovi feel to it leading into the chorus. Please forgive me for making comparisons, but it’s what I am hearing. I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing either. It gives you the reader the understanding of what is being heard, which may lead to the process of making the purchase. The guitar solo played by Chris Lane is very well executed, but if I will make one assessment is that I would have liked to have heard more. Maybe extending the solo a few more bars, but who am I to say? “Lie To You” is a very keyboard orientated intro with the drums of Tony Baptist accompanying, giving the song a progressive feel. Suddenly the track moves in a different direction with the band changing the time signature. Suddenly the song has turned into an Alias/Sheriff ’80s type ballad. The verse builds nicely into another catchy chorus. “Easier Said Than Done” yet again reminds me of early Danger Danger. Then suddenly I move away from that giving way to a more Journey type feel. The song features a very predominant background vocal that leads into the chorus. The textured chords create the melodic ’80s feel perfectly.

“Still The One” keeps the flow of the album moving nicely. At this point, nothing seems out of place. The track listing has been placed perfectly. “Losing You” has a very early Harem Scarem sound to it. I think it’s more of the mood that is being created. Overall, Station own this composition. I would not class this as a ballad, yet more of a slow progressive piece. “Always Part Of Me” and “Northport Sunset” capture the essence of the album nicely. “When I Came Undone” could be my favorite track on the album. In true fashion of what the band has done up to this point, it really has a captivating feel to it. The build ups are perfectly executed. The drive created by bassist Emi Asta and drummer Tony Baptist is very tight, but also allows the vocals and the guitar to breath freely. The album closes out with the ever so beautiful acoustic composition “Walking Away.” A very nice change of pace. The bittersweet vocal harmonies within touch your soul to the core. The recording of the acoustic guitar is very noticeable. It gives the song that earthy feel that is needed to convey the lyric.

So as I close out, one thing comes to mind in terms of Station. It’s the fact that I make so many references to bands of the past. Why is that? I think all of us make comparisons. Think about how you describe a rookie sports star in the making. When Toronto Maple Leaf player Mitch Marner was a rookie last season, I heard many comparisons on the radio to his style of play. People want to be able to associate something to nothing. So here’s where my example is metaphoric. I can’t recall the exact comparisons of Marner to other NHL players of the past. This is just to convey my point. “Hey that Marner kid has the size of Doug Gilmour with the ability of Wayne Gretzky.” In your mind, you’re already a fan because those two players Marner is being compared to are Hall of Famers. We all need something to grasp onto. As armchair quarterbacks, we base our opinions on things we already know. It’s the psychology of human nature. It is from there that you make the discovery, than you make your own judgement. You were guided into your decision.

So with that said, if you enjoy the bands I have mentioned, give Station a listen. You can pick up Station‘s new album at their Bandcamp page. Not to cause too much confusion though, I will say one last thing. Station is a band on its own. These are the things I took from the listening experience. They have compounded their influences to make their sound. In no way is the music a blatant rip off of anyone unlike a certain band being heard on top 40 radio currently who shall remain nameless. For me, this is something I do not buy into. That’s a topic I will leave open for discussion at a later date. Read into that one how you wish.

Track List:
01. I Won’t Break Your Heart
02. Cost of The Sand
03. More Than The Moon
04. I Don’t Mind
05. Lie To You
06. Easier Said Than Done
07. Still The One
08. Losing You
09. Always Be A Part Of Me
10. Northport Sunset
11. When I Came Undone
12. Walking Away

Band Members:
Patrick Kearney – vocals
Chris Lane – guitar
Emi Asta – bass
Tony Baptist – drums

Band Websites:
Official Website
Facebook
Bandcamp

Reviewed by Tyson Briden for Sleaze Roxx, April 2018

Station‘s More Than The Moon preview video:

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