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Band Members
Jason Milton - Vocals, Guitar
Cal Saunders - Bass, Vocals
Tom Ruby - Guitar, Vocals
Ryan Farnung - Drums, Vocals
Nic Milton - Organs, Keys
Tracklisting
1. Time and Again
2. The Dark Hour
3. Wait
4. See You Again
5. For You
6. Truth & Lies
When modern music is a many-headed monster of genre and sub-genre, the Demos could easily be labeled. Labels are convenient in order to categorize; however, categories only get so far.
The Rochester five-piece’s short debut is long-awaited amongst its ardent local fan base, and a larger fan base growing by the day, via radio play and internet.The band consists of Nic Milton, on keys and organ, Cal Saunders, on bass, Tom Ruby on guitar, Ryan Farnung on drums, and Jason Milton both on guitar and at the mic. Saunders, Ruby, and Farnung also contribute vocally, often making swooning, upbeat backing vocals.
Heavily influenced by legends of the past, the Demos credit themselves to 50’s pop, 60’s Beat music, 70’s New Wave, and today’s flow of modern indie, such as the Strokes and Arcade Fire. They are clearly fans of slick production; messiness is basically a forbidden in this tight fivesome.
Album ‘Alone with You’, released in June 2007, staunchly avoids allowing filler tracks to creep in, by keeping its length to a mere five tracks. The EP-style release opens with ‘Time and Again’, a sunny pop song that begins with potential but falls flat as it progresses; striving for precision, it seems to collapse near-tunelessly in its chorus. As album openers go, this one is a bland start.
However, it accelerates from there. The Demos write and perform songs that sound familiar; songs you can almost place, due to their layering of retro sounds from past decades. It makes them instantaneously enjoyable; their sugary pop hooks disguise cynicism in the visceral charm of the vocals.
‘The Dark Hour’ has Jay crooning in a casual but syrupy manner, “I can’t stand you anymore”, dragging out his words on delicious little howls. The vocal harmonies in the chorus come reminiscent of the Beach Boys, as a cool dispatch to a would-be lover. A high point comes in at around two minutes, a soft aside that could have been serenaded to you in your living room.
‘Wait’ is a claustrophobic song, and although simplistic and lyrically direct, very personal. It is as infectious as rabies and works towards a climax that stutters along in its chorus, certain of itself in its utter indifference. “I wont change my tone/I’d rather be alone/” comes the final conclusion of an evidently weary young man.
Faint Coral-esque backing vocals pervade the opening of ‘See You Again’, with upbeat du-wop and ‘oooh’s that are as nostalgic as poodle skirts and TV dinners. Jay’s vocals are sweet and clear, rising and standing against the music in what is undeniably instant aural pleasure. ‘For You’ includes happily angular guitar and a strong, almost-conversational tone. A toe-tapping sort of song, it’s a clear plea for her return, of which, this her seems inescapable.
The concluding track to ‘Alone with You’ is the Demos’ foundation song; ‘Truth & Lies’. This is the soda pop single – the stuck-in-your-head, hum-it-in-the-car song – with a surprisingly aching chorus. Jangly guitar gives way to a soaring melody, hitting like a sugar rush and quickly, like the toothache afterwards in its bittersweet nature.
“Don’t give up on me/I’ll be there/I’ll be there”, it is reiterated, in a kind of wide-eyed desperation; an uncompromising loyalty despite abandonment. By the end, “I know that it will not be the same”, completes the pop perfection with this sad admission.
The Demos have the talent, the musical knowledge, and the perfect pop formula down pat. They will continue to fill venues; they are a hooky, upbeat band that are lovable to wide demographic. However, judging from the material on ‘Alone with You’, one feels that they are capable of much more. Inject a little more attitude, a little more risk, perhaps a smidgen more variety; and the Demos can save themselves from a broken-record syndrome of releases. Regardless, the Demos are clearly capable of producing expressly fun music, and show much potential while doing it. If they can avoid a trap of repetition, they may very well make names for themselves. Here’s hoping they push their boundaries past ‘fun’ and work on ‘great’.
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