The First Time - Taking Breaking Down
Alternative Rock Music has never sounded so good with the brand new release of TakingBreakingDown from The First Time.
The First Time is a four piece band out of Toronto. Having many line changes in a band may have a negative effect on some bands but in their case Stacey, Ron, James, Norm have come together to make one hell of a great album. There isn’t a single song on this album that doesn’t have the potential to crack the radio airwaves wide open for the band. The band had help from Famed Canadian Producer Andy Curran and Juno Award winner Vic Florencia. Instantly the second I heard “Sundown” play for the first time I was a fan, I must have played “Sundown” over and over again for at least ten spins, and still when I hear this song I’m not happy until I hear this song at least twice. To me for choosing to cover Gordon Lightfoot they get instant credibility as a solid Canadian Rock Band. To give an example on how awesome this cover song is, compare Sir Elton John’s Saturday Night (is alright for fighting) with Nickleback and Kid Rock’s version.
“What is This” was the first song to be released from The First Time and pretty much immediately caught the attention of music directors across the country, and with good reason. The song has also grabbed them a nomination for the Best song at the 2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards. The vocals in the song can be related to a toned down Billy Talent. In sections of the song I like how it is just the Bass Guitar, Drums and Vocals and how the lead guitar kicks in for a note when Ron starts a main line in the verses. The song has just the perfect deep kind of dark tone that seems to set the song apart from other songs on the album.
“New Seattle” is an acoustical sounding track off of the album. I find it adds a character to The First Time because it shows an melodious side of the band. The vocals are done very well in this track because they blend in with the flow of the track perfectly. At the start of the song when it is just the guitar the vocals are soft and then when the other instruments kick in the vocals get a bit louder and stronger in tone to blend in with the guitars and percussion. The placing of the song to me is ingenious because after hearing the high powered energy of the first four tracks, now all of a sudden you find your self toning down a little to blend in with the flow of “New Seattle” then when the “New Seattle” is finished playing “Perception” starts up and grabs you by the ears and picks you right back up again and puts you back into the High powered energy state that The First Time gives off with their music.
The Salads came straight to my mind when I hear the starting of “Perception”. The opening riff is diffidently the stronger attribute of the song. The opening riff is also played in a couple spots throughout the song. Out of all the tracks on the album I could see this song being a commercial success for the band where the song would fit great into being played in background of Beer commercials.
The First Time - TakingBreakingDown is must for anybody who listens to Alternative Rock. For their music not being constantly played across the country is a real head scratcher, but I imagine it won’t be far along before you start hearing them being played. You can pick up your copy for a meer 15 bucks or for 25 plus you get a band T-Shirt off their website. www.thefirsttime.ca or on myspace.com/thefirsttime.