Review www.midnightcalling.com by Aiden
Great things seem to be coming out of the desert these days, and one of them is Adam’s Evil, from Phoenix. “Ready to Burn” starts off with a bit of fast paced grunge-ish guitar, then Sarah’s vocals kick in, with a fetching radio-distorted effect and a strident chorus that could almost belong in a psychobilly song. Fez anchors the song with a heavy, yet steady percussion. Kristopher’s bass bridges through to the final stretch, and then Mouse has a fine bit of guitar in the middle that cuts like a knife. Very danceable, this is one of my favorite tracks. “And you want me/to break the spell/but I bring you closer/to my hell.” “Stalker” opens with an ominous bass line. Fittingly, Sarah’s vocals alternate between menacing and lonely. “Lights are on/but no one’s home/I tried to call you/but you don’t want me anymore”. Segments of raw alt-rock guitar are followed by a fine guitar piece that reminds me in a way of Neil Young and Crazy Horse that ends on a cool echo. The song displays Sarah’s exquisite voice to fine advantage. “Cut Me Down” is a bit poppier, yet with dark overtones at the same time There is a nice Ska/Reggae sort of groove, which alternates with heavy guitar lines. Percussion ably fills in the spaces. Vocals are a bit wistful on “Infection”. Bass plays a prominent part here, with buzz saw guitar lends weight at the right times. Poignant vocal interludes “Doctor, I need a prescription/I need a little help tonight…” are accompanied by a bit of edgy guitar that brings early U2 to mind. For some reason, I am mesmerized by the way Sarah sings “Baby, baby”. “It’s Just You” is a great song with edgy grunge-laden guitar and punkish vocals. The combination works admirably. A guitar solo in mid song with cadenced bass, balanced by percussion takes the song to its final stretch. I love the inflection that Sarah gives “It’s just you…yeah.” The last two tracks are radio edits of “Ready to Burn” and “Stalker”. “Play Me” is a great debut from a talented band. The sound production of this EP is excellent. Dark but not overbearing, their combination of grunge, garage, rock, ska and more definitely works. I look forward to hearing more!
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