Everyone has gotten a song stuck in his or her head. The conversation goes like this: “Dude, I got this song stuck in my head.” “Really? What song?” “Kevin Federline’s single.” “Dude, why were you listening to that?” “Listen, dude. Sing some Alice in Chains so I can feel like a man again.” “Ha, no way. You deserve it after listening to that crap. Peace.”
In other words, people do not like having songs stuck in their heads. Even if their favorite song lodges and presses repeat, it has to go. A mission to rid one’s mind of the invading noise ensues, and multiple remedies might be employed. Supercade’s EP, A Drawn Out Turn Down, will get stuck in your head; however, you will not find yourself blasting bad pop songs or covering your ears and screaming.
The group’s strong blend of power-pop finds its strength in the vocal performance from Devon, who never sang in a rock band before Supercade. Dave (bass, keyboards), Tony (guitar), and Michelle (drums), provide music that swirls around Devon’s vocals and adds melody and harmony that compliments and stands on its own.
This is played out perfectly on “Breathless,” which starts out with the bass carrying both the melody and undercurrent of the song. Cue vocals, bouncy chorus, then guitar takes over for a bit. Add a few more choruses, a guitar solo that accentuates the previous vocal lines, and a soft bass outro that brings the song full circle. Tied together with the great chorus line, “Does it leave you breathless --/The way you run from life?” and you have great pop songwriting and execution.
“Sweet Victoria” provides another example of this interplay, with the bass again adding melody and the guitar providing great harmony out of the chorus. Even the drums give the song a lift, with tasteful fills that add to the build of the final repetitions of the chorus.
“Ballad of John Carr” rocks from start to finish and sounds like an unhappy sugar rush. Devon howls the chorus, Michelle pounds her snare drum, and Tony’s soloing is spastic enough to sound original and fresh on each listen.
“Hazy” features the same guitar riff as the Slickee Boys’ “Invisible People,” but because the Slickee Boys never made it big in their 30 year career, few will notice. Supercade, however, makes the riff and the song their own, adding a punchy punked-up chorus and some studio-trickery on Devon’s vocals that induces a "hazy" sound.
“By Now You Know” is the EP’s ballad. Soft drums open the track followed by a few sustained guitar chords. Devon’s voice creeps in, silent and somber. The music builds to the emotional chorus “By now you know/I found my way/By now you know/I beg for you to stay.” This leads to driving verse, chorus, soft musical interlude during which Dave provides another well-crafted bass solo that plays right into the chorus. More great pop sensibility.
The only complaint one might have about this record is the ease with which one can listen to it and the amount of moments that stick in one’s head. This record might not spell the future of rock, but it features strong musical performances and glimpses at great things to come. A Drawn Out Turn Down is the first in a hopefully growing catalog of Supercade records.
