Detroit based rockers, Touch the Clouds, release their latest single, Tension, today, and we’ve been privileged to take a listen here at the Send Me Your Ears studio.
Tension lyrically, is about the tussle between modern life and self care. It’s about the relentless push of every against one’s need for self care and the yearning for for peace. In the same way that perhaps, a thunderstorm clears the air and resets and restores balance.
Tension is unique, interesting and creative. The rhythms within the track are interesting to listen to and captured our attention immediately.
We loved the way that effects and techniques were used on the guitars to create some weird and interesting sounds. The song starts with a repeated guitar sound that almost feels like a trumpet’s call to action. Tension is very much a guitar led indie rock track which has just a touch of Pearl Jam to it.
With a catchy chorus line, this song is sure to make its listener sing along, and we imagine that Touch The Clouds will be great in a live situation.
Vocalist, Joe Philips, has an impressive, metal sounding voice that seriously impressed us on his long held high notes. A quality vocal performance throughout the track.
At just three minutes long, this is a perfect radio friendly length track. The several repeated false starts at the end were an interesting touch and the rise and fall throughout the track easily managed to maintain our interest for several listens.
From a production perspective, boost around 100Hz would bring the bass in a little and a cut around 240Hz would ease some of the muddiness in the low end, giving the track more clarity. A cut around 2-2.5kHz would reduce some of the harshness in the guitars and a wide boost centred around 7kHz would add some brightness and give the track a bit more life particularly in the drum track.
Released in advance of their forthcoming self-titled 15 track CD, Tension is sure to impress lovers of anthemic indie rock. We’re looking forward to hearing where they take their music next.