Avalon Landing – Reside
Review by Rebecca Del Castillo
In 2013, Las Vegas pop-rock band, Avalon Landing, shipped Bryan Russell (Coldplay, The Academy Is…) and 1600 pounds of equipment across the country to record their incredibly moving album, Reside. An album drenched in emotion, Reside is covered front to back in meaningful lyrics and piano driven melodies. Though the majority of Reside is a collection of slower songs and incredibly powerful ballads, Avalon Landing provide a few prime examples of pop-rock at its finest. Listeners who appreciate passionate music, intense lyrics, insane harmonies, and killer piano infused pop-rock will love this album.
Starting the album off is an enjoyable track titled “About Face.” Not too slow and containing lyrics like “break away” and “don’t be afraid of change,” this song is the perfect start to this album. Emotions soon get heavier, though, with songs like “No Apology” and “Chemicals.”
However, continuing through the album, it’s towards the middle that the truly gripping “Belong” comes. A slow yet relatable song, this is the one that I personally had the strongest reaction to. With lyrics that include “I just keep carrying on but I don’t belong. There were moments I thought I was strong, but their time is gone,” this song is bound to evoke emotions from anyone who has ever struggled with finding their place.
Listeners looking for something livelier and more up-beat should head straight for the songs “The Cure” and “Ghost Town.” Filled with strong drum beats, charming piano melodies, and hand-clapping rhythms, these tracks are my personal favorites and prime examples of Avalon Landing’s ability to thrive in pop-rock.
The album is brought to a close with the longest song, “Escape Yourself.” The track brings the album’s intensity to a peak, with seven minutes and forty-seven seconds of piano-rock, including the repeating lyric, “you can never escape yourself,” as well as several others from previous songs on the album.
Overall, Reside shows that this band has the ability to produce passionate piano-driven ballads, catchy pop-rock hits, amazing three-part harmonies, and honest, heartfelt lyrics. If Avalon Landing was aiming to make fans feel, I’d say it worked. It’s hard not to hear the dedication behind these songs. Not only will listeners be pleased with this album, but it will strike and build a range of emotions from start to finish. Whether you’re a lively pop-rock fan or a lover of piano serenades, Avalon Landing has something for you on Reside.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommended Tracks: “The Cure,” “Feel” and “Ghost Town”
Website // Facebook // Twitter
