Privet Earth
I have been listening to this band, scavenging through their few YouTube videos, trying as hard as I could to get a feel for them before I wrote this review. I was speaking to someone a few days ago about music and the industry and whatnot when this name came up that I’d never heard of, and I knew I had to look them up. I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but it was definitely not this.
After some research, it became apparent that the whole band was based around the lead singer, a Russian by the name of Ivan Smirnov. He was a prodigy by the looks of it, composing music from the young age of eight and beyond. His voice is so unique and I simply cannot unearth the accurate terminology to communicate it, but I feel this should help: Have any of you ever heard the vocalist of Volbeat? If you have, then you know for a fact that his voice is among the oddest ever to be heard. Despite this fact, there is a quality of sound that he produces that draws you in instead of repelling you. Smirnov has that same quality, although their voices are completely different.
It is a very unusual occasion that I review pop bands (I believe the only other time I have done so was a requested review of The Summer Set), but this is indeed one such occasion. Yes, Privet Earth is pop, but even if you scorn pop music, you should not turn your back on this band just yet. This is something different, something special, and something that stands out because it doesn’t sound like everyone else. Quite honestly, half the time I listen to Privet Earth I cannot stand them, but the other half of the time I actually rather enjoy them.
Even if they had a mainstream vocalist, some differences could still be made between Privet Earth and your average pop band. For instance, there are guitar solos, however brief they may be. Additionally, the drums—although not deeply intense—add a rock-ish sound that isn’t commonly heard in pop music. They have a more edgy, Stars in Stereo-esque style of pop music. Don’t get me wrong, they still have the traditional pop aspects (constantly upbeat, oftentimes lacking of a bass line, etc.); they just don’t allow that to dominate their sound. I can’t say this is a band where I would buy all their music or stand in line for hours just to purchase a concert ticket, but they are definitely something special. Privet Earth is not a band to be ignored; they have something to offer to the music world.
After some research, it became apparent that the whole band was based around the lead singer, a Russian by the name of Ivan Smirnov. He was a prodigy by the looks of it, composing music from the young age of eight and beyond. His voice is so unique and I simply cannot unearth the accurate terminology to communicate it, but I feel this should help: Have any of you ever heard the vocalist of Volbeat? If you have, then you know for a fact that his voice is among the oddest ever to be heard. Despite this fact, there is a quality of sound that he produces that draws you in instead of repelling you. Smirnov has that same quality, although their voices are completely different.
It is a very unusual occasion that I review pop bands (I believe the only other time I have done so was a requested review of The Summer Set), but this is indeed one such occasion. Yes, Privet Earth is pop, but even if you scorn pop music, you should not turn your back on this band just yet. This is something different, something special, and something that stands out because it doesn’t sound like everyone else. Quite honestly, half the time I listen to Privet Earth I cannot stand them, but the other half of the time I actually rather enjoy them.
Even if they had a mainstream vocalist, some differences could still be made between Privet Earth and your average pop band. For instance, there are guitar solos, however brief they may be. Additionally, the drums—although not deeply intense—add a rock-ish sound that isn’t commonly heard in pop music. They have a more edgy, Stars in Stereo-esque style of pop music. Don’t get me wrong, they still have the traditional pop aspects (constantly upbeat, oftentimes lacking of a bass line, etc.); they just don’t allow that to dominate their sound. I can’t say this is a band where I would buy all their music or stand in line for hours just to purchase a concert ticket, but they are definitely something special. Privet Earth is not a band to be ignored; they have something to offer to the music world.
 | Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future. |
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