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Mar 01, 2011 Revolver By Frank Valish

Revolver’s latest EP comes amidst the band’s current U.S. tour. The French trio’s debut full length, 2010’s Music for a While, was a harmony-filled homage to the greatness of such bands as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Simon & Garfunkel, and with two new originals and two covers, Parallel Lives is a good primer for the uninitiated. The title track opener is typical Revolver, all lively acoustic guitar picking and blended voices. But it’s not close to the best track on the EP. “Losing You,” the other original here, is a stellar mix of lush harmonies and instrumental urgency augmented with cello, and the song wonderfully recalls Crosby Stills & Nash’s “Cathedral.”

“Monk” is a cover of a song by LA’s Mini Mansions, but Revolver strips away the New Wave-y textures and indie-cool vocals of the original for the stark beauty of acoustic guitar, strings, and interweaving voice. Lastly, “Balulalow,” taken from “Ceremony of Carols” by composer Benjamin Britten, is one minute, 16 seconds of vocals and gently picked guitar that seems to take Revolver directly to its roots. (www.revolvermusic.tv)

Author rating: 6/10