Archive for the ‘Ace Enders’ Category
Ace Enders And A Million Different People – When I Hit The Ground
I reviewed Ace Enders way back in June of last year when he released The Secret Wars on his own accord. The freebie album was a solid compilation of deep and thoughtful tracks that touched on society and the world. Ace’s ideas structured through music was a fresh change from the mindless powerpop I’m usually hopped up on, and no doubt was I excited for the release of When I Hit The Ground. Vagrant records was gracious enough to send me a promo copy a week in advance, so mind you I’ve had a solid week with this album to make a fair judgement. Without sounding like too much of a geek, I did find this album very worth while and was able to revisit the same inspired feelings I got when listening to The Secret Wars.
Firstly, I’m ecstatic Ace decided to recycle Reaction and Bring Back Love, which happened to be my favourite tracks off of The Secret Wars. While the same intricate themes underlie the majority of When I Hit The Ground as they did in it’s predecessor, there are some major improvements in sound and entertainment value. When I Hit The Ground took the musical aspect to a more vibrant and exciting level. While this does not directly translate into a more soulful or better performance, I found it gave Ace more room to freely express his mind and musical prowess. The aggressive and erratic emotions I’m referring to can be heard right from the get go with the intro. Reintroduction is a small little melody that transitions from a mellow beat to a tragically grungy rock sound, it’s emphatic with just 2 minutes and 25 seconds of play.
The first actual track, Take The Money And Run, has a groovy melody and an extremely catchy pace. The rhythm compliments the calmer voice of Ace, giving off a modern rock vibe. The song reminds me of the band Ash with the exciting guitar work and nostalgic vocals. This is perhaps one of the more “out there” tracks on this album, boasting a lively set of instruments and a more frantic pace in comparison. The vocals are so classically suave and there may have been some slight editing done to give it that hip style. Otherwise this track feels very rock and very big in sound.
That said, it is the more soulful and mellow tracks that I appreciate most from Ace Enders. Such tracks like The Only Thing I Have, When I Hit The Ground and SOS litter the album with a soft almost alternative rock styling. The songs are moving and provide an incite into the mind of Ace himself. I’m in a constant battle of thought when I listen to this album, which is an exceptional quality for any release. Feelings of hope and disparity, thoughts of love and life and an overall euphoric sensation begins to take over. Without overhyping the album too much I will say it is not by any stretch of the mind an artistic masterpiece, but it is sincere and honest. Ace Enders comes off as a very down to earth artist and his music is a testament to this.
Ace did a great job with this album, including a variety of different tracks, some hopeful, some tragic and others simply rocking. For the most part there is a good variety of slow and fast paced songs, which makes the album constantly progressing as you listen to it. Ace doesn’t miss a beat using his vocabulary to instil a sense of feeling and injecting life into an otherwise listless genre. He’s not a saint, nor is he the be all and end all of music, he may not even become anything more than he already is, but I think what’s important is he’s genuine, and that’s why this album is more than just music.
Check out his Myspace for more info about him.
Ace Enders And A Million Different People – The Secret Wars
Arther “Ace” Enders was the lead vocalist for The Early November, a highly successful indie/emo band who’ve disbanded just last year. Ace on the other hand had more music to play and more soul to share, with an album called When I Hit The Ground slated for a late August release date. However, since Enders did not want to disappoint fans who expected the album to come out much sooner, he recorded The Secret Wars in his very own studio, and released it for free on Fuse.tv. This 8-track freebie, can compete with most albums on and off the market, and is a very special listen from a talented artist.
Having heard him for the first time live at the Cute is What We Aim For concert, I knew I was in for a solid album, and it definitely delivered. The live performance was pretty amazing in itself, and the album solidified me as a fan. One of the songs that stood out most from the performance and the album is the very first track, Reaction. Classified as an indie/alternative band, Reaction comes off very mellow, but has a lot of optimistic pop underlining it. With a catchy chorus, and the general flow of music starting slow and climaxing, it is a very easy listen and extremely entertaining. Though the sound is very bright, the lyrics are serious and meaningful, which creates that soulful atmosphere. The simple guitar riffs, drum beats, and catchy piano further add to the sound. It’s a relaxing song, and I think to enjoy it most, you have to be in that relaxing state.
The same can be said for most of the albums on this song. Body Like Mind, is another favourite of mine off the album. It is much less vibrant than Reaction, and has a very serious tone throughout the song. The vocals are a little more aggressive and the instrumentals are very laid back, but progress through the chorus and various hooks. This song is a very classic song, but again it’s a relaxer and if you’re not in the mood it might sound really dull and boring. But when I’m lying down on my couch just reminiscing about the world, I couldn’t think of a better tune to listen to.
Much of the album follows the whole indie/alternative laid back feel, save for Motion, which is an acoustic melody, and my favourite track Bring Back Love. Bring Back Love is the last song on the album, and is such an amazing little tune. Nothing complicated about it, but the whole theme and execution of what it represents was nothing short of perfect. Bring Back Love is a song about just that, bringing back love. It has a beautiful melody, the vocals are on point and completely graceful, and the lyrics are so elegant. Perhaps one of the most inspiring songs I’ve heard in a very long time, this is what music is all about. Spreading messages from the heart, and judging from this song Ace Enders has a heart bigger than most. A perfect way to end the album, it is an amazing song.
Ace Enders is awesome no doubt about it. His down to earth nature can be seen in his music, and he’s all about the music. His work speaks volumes and it’s the kind of music that can inspire others. The Secret Wars was a steal at the very affordable price of nothing, and I’d recommend it to just about anyone and everyone. At the very least give Bring Back Love a listen and be inspired in whatever it is you do in life.
Check out his Myspace for official tour dates and album info.
Get the album fuse.tv
