Audio Cassette review:
Days of the New - Days of the New II

Days of the New - Days of the New II

Band: Days of the New Title: Days of the New II Rating: Release Date: 31 August, 1999 Media: Audio Cassette Tracks: 1: Flight Response 2: Real 3: Enemy 4: Weapon & the Wound 5: Skeleton Key 6: Take Me Back Then 7: Bring Yourself 8: I Think 9: Longfellow 10: Phobics of Tragedy 11: Not the Same 12: Provider 13: Last One

Editoral Review A mere 18 when his band's self-titled debut hit with singles including "Shelf in a Room" and "Touch, Peel and Stand," 1999 finds the 20-year-old frontman minus his former Days of the New band mates and plus a new female singer and lineup. These certainly are new days for singer-guitarist Travis Meeks. These radical departures could easily have spelled disaster, but 2, a year in the making, is a surprisingly mature and powerful pastiche of classic-rock leanings mixed with the headiness of a modern Doors, some slight Southern accents, and the acoustic leanings of a Led Zeppelin. Neither as dark nor as vocally Pearl Jam-ish as the band's debut, this ambitious sophomore outing borders on the pretentious and self-indulgent at times, but is ultimately a triumph. Meeks plays most of the instruments, and the orchestral arrangements and vocals of 20-year-old Nicole Scherzinger work beautifully (especially on the buoyant "Bring Yourself") with the energetic acoustic guitars and varied and abundant aural accents. Not a singles-oriented outing, 2 presents a potent and emotive musical soundscape that's complex, spacious, and diverse. Katherine Turman .. You can see a complete list of all Days of the New discography, or go back to the Days of the New tabs