THE COLOR SPECTRUM: COMPLETE COLLECTION

One of the most difficult issues I have when writing a review is where to start. That's why I don't write too many reviews. And with this album, or collection of EPs to be more accurate, I am having more difficulty than ever; not because there's nothing to say - far from it. This collection of songs are so diverse from EP to EP that there is too much to say. It is an awesome achievement by Casey Crescenzo and the band to pull off such consistent, high-quality output across all 36 tracks. There is not one dud track here. Of course we all have preferences and there will be some tracks that when time is short and one can't play the entire 2.5 hours worth of music, some tracks will be chosen over others. But for now, I have had the pleasure and benefit of playing all tracks as a collection on over half-a-dozen occasions and it is really the best way to take it all in and enjoy the ride! The concept of representing each colour in the spectrum via an EP of 4 tracks is pretty much par for the course for The Dear Hunter as they take a break from the ongoing release of the 7 Acts series. They're only up to Act III so expect Act IV to be the next release from this fabulous band. This is a band who think big in concept and value and nothing is done in small measures. And one really wants to take care in presenting a review that does their fantastic work justice. Throughout the various styles on display here and the diverse characteristics represented by each colour, melodies and hooks are never far away and each EP delivers them in abundance.

Taking each EP in turn, briefly:

1. Black: Heavy progressive rock, complex (think Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta, Muse)

2. Red: Heavy, lively, hard-rock (think Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures)

3. Orange: Loud, lively, bluesy, guitar driven (think Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kula Shaker)

4. Yellow: Power pop, summery, uplifting (think Phil Spector, Jellyfish, R.E.M)

5. Green: Acoustic, reflective, country rock (think Jeff Buckley, Neil Young, Starsailor)

6. Blue: Soulful, blues, slow-rock (think Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Thirteen Senses)

7. Indigo: Warm, ambient, rhythmic (think Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode, Boards of Canada)

8. Violet: Quirky, vaudeville, highly-melodic (think Panic At The Disco, OneRepublic, Maroon 5)

9. White: Contemporary rock, progressive related, anthemic (think Keane, Muse, Coldplay)

Of course, one of the most difficult aspects of this project to pull off, is the unique identification of specific colours through music and conveying the 'personality' of each to the extent that one should be able to listen to a track and understand and recall the colour concerned. In reality and on the first few listens (before familiarity takes a hold) one would probably have had a successful stab at some and maybe no more than a 50% success rate. That in itself does not present any kind of failure on behalf of this project though as one's interpretation of colour is personal. The music itself, if one ignores the concept, is so fabulous it deserves to be heard. One reason I have tried to compare each EP with commercially recognised and arguably more popular artists, is to give a flavour of what the new listener should expect in the hope that such comparison will encourage more buyers; because sure as hell, Casey Crescenzo and The Dear Hunter deserve the sales for such ambition, talent and brilliant execution.

This is my album of 2011 so far and dare I say it is unlikely to be surpassed. 5 stars with no hesitation.