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This takes me back. This EP has brought forth all the memories of being in college and hearing music exactly like this all over the place. Mind you, that’s not necessarily bad, since some of them weren’t half bad, even by my standards. Not all bands are created equal, but this one seems to be a bit more equal than others.
The Divergence started between Daniel Penner (Vocals/Guitar) and Phil McNeal (Drums) from New Jersey. Soon Arjun Jain (Guitar) was added to the lineup, and after a summer California tour Eric Weiser (Bass) was added to the mold. The band as we know them today had taken shape.
Very soon they found themselves in Berlin, Germany, recording this EP, No Words. And what an EP it is; it’s a sort of conglomeration between spontaneity and meticulosity, meshing the Stooges with Mahler, reggae with punk, and any combination they please. They feel that opposites in music should not be avoided, but rather embraced. It’s a bold stance that they’ve managed to pull off.
Right with “Let It Go” we hear some old school garage rock, mostly thanks to the guitar tone. But there’s also some reggae guitar going along with the overdrive, and the drums are swinging. The vocals are what you’d expect from a band whose sound tailors to college kids. They’re fine, but you won’t be writing home about their brilliance. They’re just enough. The bass work on “Tomorrow” is pretty catchy if you pay attention to it, and the guitar lick with it works very well. “End Transmission” has that grungy, dirty guitar again, which I love hearing. The groove changes midway to a kind of reggae feel then goes to double time switching it back to rock. “Beneath My Eyes” is an ambient track, but it’s not an emotional ambience; it’s more hypnotic than anything, but not unreasonably so. Eventually it speeds up slightly to keep things interesting. “No Words” switches between straight eighth notes and swing, and every once in awhile something subtle comes in to keep your attention.
This album won’t blow you away with its virtuosic wizardry by any stretch of the imagination. Instead it will impress you with how well what they arrange things to work as well as they do. I think that’s the key with The Divergence; they make well–executed music that ends up being more memorable than most bands like them. Good work, boys.
4/5
Key Tracks: Let It Go, Beneath My Eyes, No Words - MuzikReviews
This takes me back. This EP has brought forth all the memories of being in college and hearing music exactly like this all over the place. Mind you, that’s not necessarily bad, since some of them weren’t half bad, even by my standards. Not all bands are created equal, but this one seems to be a bit more equal than others.
The Divergence started between Daniel Penner (Vocals/Guitar) and Phil McNeal (Drums) from New Jersey. Soon Arjun Jain (Guitar) was added to the lineup, and after a summer California tour Eric Weiser (Bass) was added to the mold. The band as we know them today had taken shape.
Very soon they found themselves in Berlin, Germany, recording this EP, No Words. And what an EP it is; it’s a sort of conglomeration between spontaneity and meticulosity, meshing the Stooges with Mahler, reggae with punk, and any combination they please. They feel that opposites in music should not be avoided, but rather embraced. It’s a bold stance that they’ve managed to pull off.
Right with “Let It Go” we hear some old school garage rock, mostly thanks to the guitar tone. But there’s also some reggae guitar going along with the overdrive, and the drums are swinging. The vocals are what you’d expect from a band whose sound tailors to college kids. They’re fine, but you won’t be writing home about their brilliance. They’re just enough. The bass work on “Tomorrow” is pretty catchy if you pay attention to it, and the guitar lick with it works very well. “End Transmission” has that grungy, dirty guitar again, which I love hearing. The groove changes midway to a kind of reggae feel then goes to double time switching it back to rock. “Beneath My Eyes” is an ambient track, but it’s not an emotional ambience; it’s more hypnotic than anything, but not unreasonably so. Eventually it speeds up slightly to keep things interesting. “No Words” switches between straight eighth notes and swing, and every once in awhile something subtle comes in to keep your attention.
This album won’t blow you away with its virtuosic wizardry by any stretch of the imagination. Instead it will impress you with how well what they arrange things to work as well as they do. I think that’s the key with The Divergence; they make well–executed music that ends up being more memorable than most bands like them. Good work, boys.
4/5
Key Tracks: Let It Go, Beneath My Eyes, No Words - MuzikReviews
Discography
No Words (EP, 2011)
Photos
Bio
The Divergence was born in November, 2010, when the musically curious souls of vocalist/guitarist Daniel Penner and drummer Phil McNeal collided somewhere in New Jersey. Unsure of how to synthesize their highly disparate musical tastes into a well-adjusted sonic lovechild, the boys enlisted guitarist Arjun Jain to help conciliate Daniel’s rock and Phil’s roll. Arjun’s arrival ignited a creative spark, resulting in a lot of songwriting, some gigging, and informal garage-style recordings. A self-produced demo surfaced in a matter of months, and The Divergence was officially on the map. A summer tour of southern California followed, highlighted by some gigs at real sketchy gang bars, and a run of shows at the Whisky-a-Go-Go on Sunset Blvd. Upon their return, the group picked up electric and upright bass wizard Eric Weiser, and soon found themselves in Berlin, Germany, recording the No Words EP, released in April 2012. Since their return to the states, the band has been holed up in Brooklyn, sharpening new material and playing shows around NYC.
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