Rating: 4 Pulses

The Parachute Musical CD felt really familiar when I put it in my CD player. In a lot of ways it reminded me of things I have heard. A lot of the familiarities are hard to figure out though, and the band definitely has some unique characteristics.

The band is led by a vocal that is distinctive, but seems reminiscent of many of the bands popularized by independent rock music from the last few years. I don’t know what I’d call these guys, though. The album has quite a mixture of songs on it.

In several of the earlier tracks, some very unique rhythms are heard in conjunction with piano, electric and acoustic guitar, bass, lead vocals, and splashes of background vocals. The tracks seem to follow the piano from a songwriter perspective.

Some of the songs can get sort of silly at times. Other times they are somber, and the main vocalist showcases some sensitive lyrics in a vocal style that slants slightly towards ’90s Green Day.

Later, we hear some horns and strings, and the feel of the album changes. With some of the songwriter songs and demos added at the end, the piano is showcased with the main vocalist.

All together the band sort of reminds me of Ben Folds with some indie rocks bands like The Features mixed in. It’s a lighter rock based feel with piano as lead. I like it a lot better than most of the stuff produced by local bands, but it’s not so amazing I will be playing it over and again.

Some of the songs definitely have potential to appeal to certain crowds very well though. I would look for Parachute Musical to make some really good music if they stand the test of time.