Tomorrows Bad Seeds – Live Acoustic EP
Track Listing:
1.) Reflect
2.) Vices
3.) Only For You
4.) Uplift
5.) Slow Down
6.) Bad Sseed
7.) Only For Your (Lifted)
The Pier Album Rating:
Record Label: Urban Tone Records
Group Background:
Tomorrows Bad Seeds, “leaders of the new school” is a five piece American band from Hermosa Beach, California formed in 2004. Their Southern California influences helped yield their unparalleled sound. A coalition of rock and reggae, punk and blues, beats and riffs. From break dancing to spinning tracks these boys emerged into multi-cultural musical phenomenon with a cause. Tomorrows Bad Seeds aims to be a fundamental development in the reproduction of conscious music worldwide!
Meet the Seeds: Moises Juarez (lead vocals), Sean Chapman (vocals/guitar), Mathew McEwan (vocals/guitar), Patrick Salmon (drums), and Andre Davis (bass).
Album Review:
Re-makes of songs usually don’t tend to tickle my fancy as they are never as good as the originals, but I gotta give it to the guys of Tomorrows Bad Seeds not only for doing a great job of re-making previous songs on their Live Acoustic EP, but for the great selection of material. The band kicked off a very special Holidaze Acoustic Tour this past December (2010), to promote the release of their new Acoustic E.P. which was set to be resold on this tour only.
TBS captured a nice feel of their reggae rock sound in the 7 song EP which couldn’t have started in a better way than with the song Reflect. The title encompasses the whole idea of the EP; which is to go back, reproduce and echo what they have already released in previous albums but they did so very creatively and they did it all live! The song is one of the more conscious pieces and its originally off of their latest album Sacred for Sale which was released on May 25th, 2010. A mellow track driven nicely by the guitar, with a heavy subject matter setting a somber mood, this song talks about addiction and the downfalls of substance dependency. It is nicely followed up by the song Vices which picks up the mood with a more positive take on our weaknesses. Its politically conscious lyrics are great food for thought; a very motivational piece with a catchy chorus and a happy melody from their 2007 debut album Early Prayers.
By the time you get to the third song Uplift you feel the EP moving in the right direction. This song in particular highlights both guitars and vocals, while the lyrics leave you with an elevated sense of empowerment. Slow Down is another catchy tune, fun and light-hearted sure to make you want to move your body. The fifth song Bad Seed has a Sublime-ish feel to it & might be the “album filler” of the bunch but definitely fits in with the running theme. It’s yet another song about fighting your demons, in this case “mary jane” while Moi sings: Tomorrows seeds they don’t grow to be bad which sounds a bit contradictory to the band’s name if you ask me. The EP ends on a very lovey dovey note with the song Only for You (Lifted) which has a more rootsy sound with lyrics so genuine they could make your heart skip a beat.
Tomorrows Bad Seeds captures some of their best songs on their Live Acoustic EP and the live feel is what brings out the magic in TBS. Their message is very socially, politically conscious without being too heavy. I definitely got a sense of their self consciousness through their songs, their desire to grow and mature as individuals radiates in their lyrics as they bring light to their internal struggles. I’m excited to see the Seeds growth musically as well as individually in future projects, they are clearly on the right track.
Written & Reviewed by: Mariana Norcalchika Rojas
~Let The Music Take You Higher~
[Editors Note: All reviews are reflective of the album in it’s entirety, from start to finish. These reviews are the honest opinion of each writer/reviewer, expressing their feedback as a genuine fan of the music. Each star rating reflects their review of the album, not the band. Music is subjective. Regardless of the review or star rating, we encourage you to listen to the music yourself & form your own opinion. Spread the awareness of all music in its art & contribution]
