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| Esion's ''Pull'' EP a Must Have |
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 It's been over a month since I visted Paychecks in Hamtramck to see Esion but I'm still listening to their four-song EP entitled, "Pull" which should tell you something. Not only are all four tracks of this EP solid, well-written industrial pop songs that make you want to blast it from your car speakers into the cool spring air, but it contains one rare gem that tops my 2002 playlist so far.
- Mitch
Band - Esion
Show - Paychecks Lounge 3-30-02
CD/EP - "Pull"
Review by Mitch Phillips
Pros in the face of apathy
Though the crowd was sparse at Paychecks (I counted seven people anywhere near the stage) Esion (that's "noise" spelled backwards for the anagramically challenged) put on a full-boar, hi-tech rock-show worthy of a room five times the size of Paychecks. I got the feeling they should have ben playing one of those fancy downtown dance clubs where the wait is only outdone by the cover charge. But Esion didn't let the slight turnout dictate the energy of their performance; though there were only two dancers, they were the only band of the night to get the crowd off their ass and hold 'em there. I love to see professionalism in the face of apathy.
An amazing light show (provided by Benic Systems) spewed multi-colored streams and spots throughout the room and a smoke machine rolled out a heavy fog as the band pounded through a keyboard-heavy mix of covers and originals, including songs from their new four-song EP entitled "Pull". Their use of clever musical "quotes" peppered throughout their set (Bowie and Neil Diamond lyrics come to mind) provided a refreshing twist to the otherwise predictable covers.
Sounds Like. . .
Esion's original music can be described as a mix between Power Station, Duran-Duran, Depeche Mode, NIN and the soundtrack to nearly every summer blockbuster you've seen in the last three years. This is industrial strength action-adventure music ( the soundtrack to "Mission Impossible 3" if you will) that provides a positive charge to your feet and hips that can only be dis-charged by dancing. Though I'm not sure you could say there's an Esion sound, the band has tapped a vein in mass-appeal industrial rock.
Rocky Pops a Boner
The band only popped one conspicuous boner in their otherwise technically slick set; a horrible cover of Survivor's "Eye of The Tiger" - a song that, if it weren't for a suggestion from the bass player's mother, would have safely faded into obscurity with the rest of the soundtrack hits of the 1980's. Kline's voice cracked and screeched during the performance of this inspirational theme song from "Rocky III" that requires a vocal range greater than a soprano version of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Ouch. You weren't serious, right?
Space Without Filler
The real treat came on the ride home while listening to Esion's four-song EP, "Pull". Though I'd just experienced their sensory over-loading live show -designed to entertain a club full of dancing, ultra-chic angels, I wasn't prepared for the depth of singer Don Kline's songwriting. All four songs on this EP are solid, memorable and well crafted Industrial pop tunes. "Pull" is a steal at $5.50. I've spent more on fifteen tracks that weren't half as good as these four songs. As I've said before, I wish more bands were this selective with their independent releases.
The fourth cut in particular, "Space Without Stars" is currently my favorite independently released local song because of it's expert fusion of anthem-esque industrial rock and intelligent song writing reminiscent of the Stone Temple Pilots. I played this gem for nearly everybody I know, barely able to contain my excitement from the discovery.
Esion has confirmed my belief that you can find top-quality, should-be-a-mass-market-hit songwriting in the vast, obscure ocean of independently released material. The joy I get from rare finds like this is why I bother at all. Thanks guys.
- Mitch Phillips
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