Sunfall Festival 'on the verge' of success, reviewer says - Daily Universe, March 1998 The Daily Universe

In a fantastic second effort from an already strong band, Sunfall Festival will release a new CD Saturday called "On the Verge." This release is such a wonderful addition to the band's repertoire that its musical strength can be summed up in one word: beautiful.

Stopping the review right there would say mountains about the disc sincein many ways, the band leaves listeners speechless. However, I just can't say enough about the quality of the Sunfall Festival sound.

The songs are rich, well-written, intricate and contemplative. They are played with full feeling and drip with emotion, and there are no weak cuts on the disc.

They're the kind of songs you want to play over and over, and over again, because they make you feel great inside. Moreover, they give you a chance for reflection and bring memories flooding in. So how does Sunfall Festival achieve this great sound? Apart from overall strength, the key to the band's success is lead singer Amy Greetham. Rare talent indeed, Greetham takes a fairly new approach to vocals. In fact, only one other singer I know presents a similar style, and that is Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays (although Greetham's sound is more smooth and mellow most of the time).

With patient approach, great range, snatches of attitude and the ability to truly draw listeners in, Greetham shows aspiring musicians what establishing a new sound is all about.

But Sunfall Festival would be nowhere without the rest of the band's perfectly complementary back-up. Guitarist Scott Wiley, bass player George Brunt and drummer Chris Peterson know how to emphasize and better express Greetham's sound. And they do it with quality work of their own.

When Wiley and Peterson discovered Greetham, they surely knew what they were doing. That fact alone says something about the band members' musical knowledge and credibility.

But their credibility is also evident on the new disc. The album's title track and the song "Changing" makes that evident, with impressive contributions from the entire band. Together band members create a pleasing, soothing sound that has elements of an epic.

All of the tracks have an air of freedom and are not locked into typical radio-play format, but this is especially true of "Sinking." In this track, Greetham sings of troubled relationships, saying "It's always love until you find yourself sinking." The thoughtful female point of view is refreshing, while added guitar distortion at the beginning provides a bit of change.

"Shot Down" has more attitude, with bass and drums kicking in after a slower vocal/guitar intro. Verses have a slow groove and are matched by strong-strumming chorus tracks that make you want to play along on air guitar.

The best example of Greetham's vocal control and range can be found in the song "Bones," written by Radiohead and is recorded well here. With only Greetham and Wiley contributing to this one, it is easy to appreciate the vocal tricks the song invites.

But the real feeling on the album is contained in "Me In," in which Greetham almost sounds like she is weeping. This track and the very contemplative "Nice Dream" bring emotion to the forefront.

All told, "On the Verge" is an excellent disc.


- MEGAN ELISON, The Daily Universe

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