The Ready Set – Tantrum Castle
Good to be back, and this week has been a slow one in terms of music. I’ve heard a couple of great leaked albums, but alas, I’m not a big fan of reviewing cds weeks before their release date. So with that said, I’d like to introduce Jordan Witzigreuter, aka The Ready Set. From the mean streets of Indiana, Jordan is only 18 years old and has been touring the summers since he was 16. This recent high school graduate plays a mean style of electronic powerpop, and has caught my attention with his clever sequences and laid back vocals. Tantrum Castle is his first full length, and it was released in July of this year.
So what make’s The Ready Set that much better than other poetic, electronic, powerpop bands? Not much, his style is not entirely different from bands like Represent! and A Rocket To The Moon. But more of a good thing is never bad, and there is always room for The Ready Set in my books. Right off the bat Tantrum Castle starts off with a mellow beat in the track Approach-Approach. With affectionate lyrics, and a friendly melody, it portrays a sense of emotion, but nothing over the top. Keeping it mellow throughout, it is a seriously chilling listen. While it is a good song, I wasn’t quite in the mood for a slow jam, and thankfully, The Ready Set has also included more upbeat tracks in this album
If we continue to Giants, the second track, we get a really catchy uplifting pop song. The most addictive element to this track is the vocals. While not exactly great singing talent, the rap-style, synthesized verse completely won me over. As with most electronic powerpop bands, the vocals are dubbed over with synths, which makes the music that much more exciting. We’ve seen this style used a lot in hip hop today, but it is huge among many electronic pop bands, and other forms of rock as well. Definitely a favourite track of mine, everything from the vocals to the melody was perfectly to my liking. I can’t get over how great everything is sequenced, and really love the voice effects on this album.
Much of the album follows in this respect, with a good mix of groovy jams, and laid back serenades. Some other notable tracks in the upbeat spectrum include Soular Flares and Paratrooper. Other slower tunes are World Owes Nothing, and Augustus and The Holiday. Combined, The Ready Set has created a nice arrangement of blissful music, that transitions from soft to cheerful, but never by much. The entire album is easily a very chill listen, and can be appreciated on a relaxing day. If you’re a fan of electronic powerpop serenades, The Ready Set creates the perfect sombre moods, with a touch of class and a ton of clever wit.
Check out his Myspace for official tour dates and album info.
The Ready Set – Giants
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The Ready Set – Soular Flares
PS. I would just like to take a moment to pay my respects to an MMA fighter who I’ve been a fan of for years. His heart and drive represents what is so special about athletes, and he was a role model to not only myself, but fans around the world. Evan Tanner was found dead earlier today, most probably from the heat in the desert. So Evan Tanner, please take it easy
Tags: album
Hey thanks so much for the wonderful review of Jordan’s work.
He has amazing talent, as you’ve heard….but wait until you hear him play drums!! It’ll knock your socks off.
The future looks bright for this guy!