Until June

The sweet swirls of piano pop that defined Until June’s self-titled LP in 2007 only persist even more so on their recent six song release, Sound of Defeat. While success has been harder to come by here in the States, the Hollywood trio made it big in Greece and Norway with top five chart placements for “Sleepless” and the album even became a hit in Japan. Now they hope to duplicate that stateside on Defeat.

With each song hovering at the three-minute mark, Until June gets in and out in pure pop form much like The Weepies. The comparison doesn’t hold true musically but it’s not a bad starting point for those looking for such ground to stand on. Punctuated by light piano melodies and Josh Ballard’s high tenor, UJ is able to create their own brand of pop music in just six songs and the band’s future will be stronger for the work.

Still that also means the music won’t be for everybody and the familiarity that brings the sound together will also make it repetitive. “The Man Who Lost His Soul” breaks out with a Maroon 5 sound that’s a bit too catchy for its own good. The title track’s background “oohs” and jangly guitars get a bit cumbersome, even at three-plus minutes. I happen to like Ballard’s voice, but “Baby” needs to be left in the crib as it just grates with repetitive piano and a vocal on the chorus that’s nearly intolerable.

Those with a short attention span (isn’t that everyone?) won’t make it to the best tracks and that’s a shame because there’s real talent here that deserves an audience. “Nobody Knows You” recalls a bit of “What I’ve Done,” the song that became a hit on Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff, Private Practice. Here, Ballard’s vocal takes center stage and handles the spotlight beautifully – the fragility and grace making him the star of this show.

“In My Head” arrests your attention for the exact same reason as the previous track and closes Sound of Defeat on the right notes. Unfortunately, I hope it’s not too late for the band who might lose their audience after the first couple of tracks.

Tagged as: Sound of Defeat, Until June

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