You wouldn’t usually equate Nashville with an alt-rock styled band, but Kopecky definitely do not fit the Music City mold. On Drug For The Modern Age, their second effort, there are keyboards, atmospherics, layered vocals and an ethereal feel – at moments reminiscent of earliest Coldplay, but also with that space-y-ness of the early ’80’s.
Case and point, “My Love” has that dance vibe that brought me back to those teen years listening to WLIR (for those who aren’t familiar, a now-legendary New York radio station) yet is filled with synths and dynamic vocal interplay between Kelsey Kopecky and Gabe Simon, it also has some very tasty guitar strokes. “Quarterback” is a compressed collage of a tight riff, explosive percussion/effects and one of those big, “soundtrack rock” choruses; “Real Life” instantly reminded me of (wait for it – I never thought I’d ever reference this band – EVER) Cock Robin (!); very warm, chorus-laden guitars and “Talk To Me” is a taut, very understated track that wants to explode and rock, but doesn’t, which is what makes it enjoyable – the restraint works to its advantage.
I have to give props to Kopecky; this is quite a solid, enjoyable album. I think after so many years, the phrase “sophomore jinx” is really pointless, as here is another fine example of how a band does not fall into such a preordained trap. By looking backward, musically, Kopecky obviously have moved forward.
RECOMMENDED
Drug For The Modern Age is available now
http://kopeckymusic.com/
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