Post Description

Artist: NO

Album: El Prado

Released: 2014

Style: Indie Pop

Tracklist:
01 - Leave The Door Wide Open
02 - Stay With Me
03 - What's Your Name
04 - Monday
05 - So Scared
06 - There's a Glow
07 - Interlude
08 - Another Life
09 - The Long Haul
10 - North Star
11 - Last Chance
12 - Hold On
13 - Go Outside

Unlike the Abott & Costello joke opportunities afforded by their name, the Los Angeles six-piece NO make serious music. Their self-produced debut album, El Prado, which follows the 2011 EP Don't Worry, You'll Be Here Forever, is built around soaring rock songs touching on love and mortality. However, listeners will mostly be caught up in the band's "Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon) style to pay attention to the meaning behind Bradley Hanan Carter's singing. Much like Matt Berninger of The National, he has a strong baritone voice; however, it doesn't sound as weathered by anxiety. When paired with the five remaining members of the band: Sean Daniel Stentz (bass), Reese Richardson (guitar), Ryan Lallier (guitar/keys), Simon Oscroft (guitar) and Michael Walker (drums), NO sound ready to steal the post-punk meets mainstream alt-rock throne held by Airborne Toxic Event.

And really, that's not a bad thing when considering how neutered alternative radio has become in the past years with Death Cab for Cutie now resembling an edgy band. At least NO are actually using guitars than relying on a keyboard and a dream1. That said, their rousing rock songs nearly paint the same picture every time - happiness is just a grasp away.if only the fingers could reach one.MORE.INCH! El Prado is, in the best sense, an album meant for shuffling on your MP3 device; getting mixed in with everything else like your Airborne Toxic Event, Kings of Leon, and Katy Perry (really?). The album is a bit too cohesive in that many of its songs have that same back-to-the wall urgency to prevail, but when ingested separately, songs like "Stay With Me" and "Monday" sound powerful rather than exactly alike. NO have plenty of potential to become poised as one of alt rock's biggest bands and one that many listeners won't be able to refuse.