The Color Turning
Whittier, California, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
There is little that I dislike more than when a band decides to make the entire first track on an album 50 or so seconds of noise. This is how OUR CURRENCY IS TIME starts out. Initially I was skeptical; therefore, it is quite impressive that I walked away from hearing the whole EP loving The Color Turning. This band has already secured for itself a base of loyal fans-which is not surprising, considering the professional approach they take to their music. The entire EP is woven from hypnotic melodies that evoke a wide range of emotions in the listener. It is obvious in these songs that The Color Turning views music as an artform, but the band does not get so involved in that creative conceit that they forget their listeners. "Words and Everything After" is a masterpiece that moves and touches you in haunting ways. In fact, the entire EP has this effect. Definitely get a copy of OUR CURRENCY IS TIME. - Skratch Magazine
...After paying an obscene amount to park my car, I stroll into the club, grab a cocktail, and head towards the stage, where The Color Turning just opened their set. This five-piece Orange County product has a strangely familiar sound-slightly reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate, but not a carbon copy, by any means. Each song starts and ends with the smooth rhythm of Jason Abraham's bass guitar, which provides a rock-solid foundation for the rest of the group. The band avoids simple power chords by incorporating complex guitar layering that sounds straight out of the Modest Mouse handbook. What separates The Color Turning from the pretenders is the mammoth presence of lead singer Steve Scavo. His voice carries each song to inspiring heights without overdoing it. The highlight of their performance came when they brought out the acoustic guitar while performing "The Middle Will Catch Us All". They flawlessly move from electric to acoustic, as Scavo strums his guitar and sings with the confidence of Liam Gallagher circa 1995. They received the loudest ovation of the night and definitely left Los Angeles with a handful of new fans.
- Jeff Lambert - Skratch Magazine
A promising gem of an EP from indie rockers The Color Turning.
What a nice surprise to discover The Color Turning. I was totally perplexed to find their independently-released disc, Our Currency Is Time, buried under mounds of paper on my desk. When I popped it in my Mac for listen, I was knocked out to find five finely crafted songs that the band must have spent a mint to professionally record at Threshold Sound + Vision in Los Angeles.
TCT has a smooth, complex sound. They have two guitar players, Sean Rodriguez and David Delfonzo, and they've worked hard to create a richly-layered sonic landscape by combining acoustic and electric guitars, the latter as cool and slick as crème fraiche. Steve Scavo sings along with great range in a kind of near-whisper that occasionally sounds a little tentative to me.
TCT's songs work for me. They'd rather you sit down and really listen than get up and dance. The band fits into the interesting school of artists, led by Radiohead and Coldplay, that has been successfully crossing the intensely intellectual focus that "art-rock" pushed in the 1970s with the jangling guitars of the "progressive rock" 1980s. I like it. A lot of the work these bands have done surpasses the music that Yes or Rush did. And it's as much fun to listen to as REM or the Boo Radleys were.
It's not clear that a band can succeed without producing songs the kids can dance to. But I'm looking forward to their future work. And I plan to keep listening to this CD.
- Stephan Finch - 2Walls Webzine
Their blend of Sunny Day Real Estate-esque vocals and eerie, atmospheric pop stylings with a wall of three guitars was truly orgasmic. I was suprised to hear this band isn't even signed. Labels, that means it's time for you to get on the ball. - emotionalpunk.com
Michael Stipe says there's always some degree of purpose in an accident.
A couple of months ago I accidentally came across this band's website. This turned out to be one the best mistakes I'd ever made.
They cite their influences as Radiohead, Mogwai and Sunny Day Real Estate, but The Color Turning are in a league of their own.
Have you ever felt like a particular band make music exactly like what you felt was missing before? Well I had that feeling until I heard a rough live MP3 of a song called 'Words And Everything After' from The Color Turning's website.
Even from that muffled recording, I could tell how amazing this band were and now I have a proper recording to review.
The EP starts off with a minute long track of distortion and spoken word called 'Divergent' which leads into the first proper song 'Intuition Is Wrong'. 'Divergent' isn't necessarilly needed but it sets the atmosphere of the EP well.
'Intuition Is Wrong' starts with a burst of guitars and a slightly distorted vocal by Steve Scavo. The chorus comes with a great vocal line which just makes you want to jump around. Then comes one of those quiet parts which you always treasure in a song like this. It brings you down before building you up again.
The choruses of each of the songs are amazing. The type of choruses which make you want to sing along before you know the words. This is no exception in next track 'Solace'. Steve Scavo seems to exactly what to sing to fit the rest of the instruments perfectly. The drums are especially good.
'Words And Everything After' follows. I can't believe how great this song is. It starts off with the sound of a crank being wound and then a music box starts and shortly a guitar joins in. This song is still my favourite. Everytime I hear it, it wills me with the strange sensation that I'm floating. Again the chorus is epic. The harmonies are perfect.
The last two songs are 'Goodbye Abercrombie' and 'This Is How That Feels'. By now it's obvious what I'm going to say, but when you get these EP, and you WILL get it, you will see what I'm talking about. There is nothing else that will make you feel quite like these songs do.
Great guitars, Great vocals. Great percussion. Great harmonies.
Bands like this don't come along every day.
- Drowned in Sound webzine
THE COLOR TURNING, the reason I ventured out on this very superstitious of nights, has never disappointed me. TCT truly shines musically. I could listen to them all night long. I always have an extra measure of respect to add to a band that includes a keyboard. Call me old school but I just plain like it. And I’ve always said you can never have too many guitars in the band. Electrics and Acoustics galore!!! I was in heaven. THIS IS HOW THAT FEELS is featured on their MySpace but it pales compared to their live performance. Meticulous, pure vocals, ear candy chord changes, complete with cool string devices for extra sweetness. Shall I continue? Thank you, I will. New song, THE MOCKING and an oldie but goody PICTURES IN BLACK AND WHITE kept me waiting and wanting more. Professionals at their best, I can’t say enough about how awesome this band is. From their stage presence to their adoring fans I loved every minute of them.
- Myspace group - BAND REVIEWS - OC/LA Counties
Discography
_Good Hands Bad Blood LP (Softdrive Records 2009)
_Me Versus Me EP (Softdrive Records 2009)
_Alex Newport Sessions (Myspace only - 2006)
_Antidote EP (Mannequin Records 2005)
_Split 7" w/ Ithaca (Can't Never Could Recordings 2004)
_Our Currency is Time EP (Random Play Music 2003)
Photos
Bio
Forming within the growing Los Angeles Indie/Experimental scene, The Color Turning conceived a project that pulled from an eclectic pallet of modern and experimental rock. The band blended the power and emotion of Southern California’s indie scene while using European ambient rock instrumentation and arrangements to contextualize and broaden the scope of expression drawn from their creative manifestations. After solidifying their line up and a handful of songs, the band was ready for their live debut.
Curious as to how thirsty ears would receive their conceptualized blend, The Color Turning began playing local shows to only be encouraged by a strong reception and a dedicated following. The eclectic influences displayed in each song lent the band to perform with a wide variety of bands and musicians. Invited to support Plain White T’s, Dashboard Confessional, Hello Goodbye, The Spill Canvas, Thrice, Melee, and many others, the band began to see an overwhelming fan base with their captivating live performances. It was one of these performances at the Van’s Warped Tour in Los Angeles that caught the attention of Something Corporate’s Josh Partington.
Partington offered the band a release though his label, Random Play Music and the band was in the studio and recording their first EP, Our Currency is Time. The EP brought the band to a new frontier of fans and propelled them into being a favorite in both the Los Angeles and Orange Country music scenes. Inspired by the band’s high-energy shows and rising success, German Director Julian Reich approached The Color Turning to direct their first music video, “This Is How That Feels”.
Exposure from the video (featured for a time at MTV.com) and their reputation for their electric live shows found the band prominent figures and promising leaders in Los Angeles. The band pushed forward, harnessing the past years’ momentum and entering the studio to record their next EP. Antidote would be released in 2005, creating a vision that portrayed maturation and precision within their brand of Indie/Experimental Rock.
Antidote utilized a variety of elements only hinted by the band in the past. Always accessible, the dark brooding guitars, big piano, and sweeping intros amalgamated with ambient textures and unconventional song structures demonstrated curious promise and highlighted the band into a focus amongst the current independent music scene. The Color Turning was firmly placing a their claim into modern music- there to nurture their bold artistic talents was Scott Weiland’s Softdrive Records.
Signing the band in 2007, the band hit the studio and a string of dates. Reception was overwhelming. After playing tour dates with Stone Temple Pilots and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the band brought in the New Year as direct support for Stone Temple Pilots on their KROQ New Years Eve ’08/’09 Club Nokia Performance. Following the celebration, the band moved forward with 5 West Coast dates supporting Scott Weiland and his solo endeavor. After witnessing the success of these prominent shows, The Color Turning plans to release their Me Versus Me EP in June ’09 (supporting their first single, “Me Versus Me”) in anticipation of their first full length LP Good Hands Bad Blood set for release by Softdrive/Sony/Red on Aug 4th, 2009.
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