Group Breaking Through Pack - Daily Herald

By ERIC D. SNIDER

I believe the phrase "up-and-coming" applies to no local band better than it does to Sunfall Festival.

As recently as a year ago, you had to say "Sunfall Festival, formerly known as 'Sleepy,'" because of the band's name change and the confusion inherent in such a maneuver. Now, though, the band has had so much success as Sunfall Festival that most of their fans probably don't remember the "Sleepy" days.

The band plays around town frequently and is actively pursuing a major record label deal. Unlike the local groups that do this just for fun while they're in college, Sunfall Festival is intent on making it the real thing. In a matter of months, after touring around a little, they should have a national contract, and it will all have been due to their perseverence, not to mention their unique musical style.

Sunfall Festival's newest recording is a seven-song EP called "On the Verge." The CD shows the group at its most laid-back, most relaxed, and most, well, sleepy.

Amy Greetham's dreamy vocals make the music sound smooth as silk, her voice high and rich - not breathy, but almost creamy. She's frequently singing high notes, but they sound full and vibrant.

They also sound unintelligible much of the time, but this is hardly a problem. Even when you can't make out what she's saying, you can still tell that the song is cool.

The attitude of all the songs is mostly the same: adult-contemporary-style soft rock music, played slowly and carefully, with Amy crooning lazily in the front. Every song sounds like it's about a relationship (lots of "you" and "you're" and "me" and "I'm" lines), but that's difficult to verify without the lyrics handy. Amy could be singing about prejudice, or the homeless, or toasters, for all I know. Her tone of voice sounds the same each time - a sort of detached commentary on what's going on, like she's singing about events in her life, yet singing about them as if she's not personallyinvolved.

Other band members are Scott Wiley on guitar, Chris Peterson on drums, and George Brunt on bass. It is Wiley that we hear the most of, as the acoustic guitar seems to be the best complement to Amy's voice. When the others get to do their thing, too, they prove their ability, making the band sound, overall, quite professional and polished.

This EP seems to have been released simply to get some new product out there into the public's hands. There are only seven songs, two of which are covers, and none of which are earth-shattering. They're all GOOD, but nothing spectacular.Which isn't to say the EP is a waste, because it's not. It sells for only $8, and it contains 22 minutes of some very good music.

Still, I recommend the band's full-length album "Absolutely Splendid" for new fans; "On the Verge" is more for established listeners of the group. My grade: B

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