In Music We Trust >> Frontpage
March 28, 2024


Search In Music We Trust
Article Archives
>> Article ArchivesFeatured ArticlesInterviews & Show Reviews#ABCDEFGHIJKL MNOPQRSTUVWXYZVarious ArtistsDVD Reviews
The Devlins
Waiting (RadioUniverse)

By: Alex Steininger

Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, The Devlins are two brothers and a drummer. Colin (guitar and vocals) and Peter (bass and backing vocals) are the core of the band, while drummer Sean Deavitt helps to complete everything. Blending a pop sensation with a bit of rock, they outcome is a very pop oriented sound that is soft and relaxing, while still generating enough energy to have some muscle.

The CD begins with "World Outside." Soft piano starts it off, before the drums come in and add a beat to everything. Guitars and bass then join, and the whole song jumps into place. The song remains at a constant pace the whole way through, with nothing new or unexpected thrown your way. Even when the chorus enters with a quick hook, the music doesn't dramatically jump any. For some bands this might be the signal of doom, but they pull it off. With smooth vocals leading the band, they serve up a pop number that will get your feet tapping, courtesy of the drums, and keep your interest with pop hooks and a very mellow whirlwind of melodies. "Waiting" is lead by an acoustic guitar, giving the song a very down to earth feeling. After a minute of just voice and an acoustic guitar, which I love very much, the drums and bass join in. They give the song an extra bounce, while the drums begin to gnaw at your feet and make them tap with the beat. Another thing that makes this song an album standout is the fact that they use silence a few times, giving you a few seconds to think before they throw something new at you. The silence is deep and meaningful, adding a lot of intensity to the song. The one thing I didn't like about this song is the fact they threw some electric guitar riffs into the mix, which seems out of place and could have been dropped. "Where Are You Tonight?" starts out very slow, with the voice over powering the music in the background. Then a minute and thirty seconds into the song, the rest of the band jumps in. From there the song takes on a very monotone pace, which gets very old within a minute. A few hooks are attempted, but for the most part the song just travels down the same path over and over again. "Reckless" brings back more of the acoustic guitar. Another soft journey, this song comes off clean and melodic. Filled with soft hooks, this song once again displays a very talented band. "Kill With Me Tonight" closes out the CD with some more hooks and soft melodies. A great closer for this CD.

The Devlins compose some nice pop. Very soft and relaxing, it will leave you thinking and full of thoughts. I'll give this CD a B+.

Copyright © 1997-2024, In Music We Trust, Inc. All Rights Reserved.