Have we finally moved past the tired 80s retread two-dimensional synch rock clones of The Killers and Franz Ferdinand? There is hope! Richer, more fully-orbed music sighted just ahead! What is a rock n roll anthem? One definition is a song that represents who we are and what rock and roll is all about. A song so personal it becomes universal for its magnetic pull right into the pulse of what it’s like to be human. A song about rebellion, love, betrayal, anger, mixed emotions, and triumph finally in the sheer power of the truth of telling it in the liberating language of rock n roll. A song like ‘Born to Run’ by Bruce Springsteen or ‘Time is Running Out’ by Muse. ‘The Truth of Telling It’, upcoming debut release by Think Alike is one of those songs. Combining guitar complexity of neo-prog alt with sharp danceable beats reminicient of The Cloud Room, and honesty of emotion give the sound both new and classic overtones.

Think Alike, the indie prog alt band from LA has been steadily building a stealth following for their performances in LA clubs, such as Hollywood’s legendary Roxy. Damon Kellard who tackles guitar, vocals, and songwriting for the band is currently popping up in several projects including Maozeh and Robert Francis. Think Alike’s much anticipated first single ‘The Truth of Telling It’ is snowballing on the internet with just word of mouth and over 12,000 views on their myspace page.
 

The instrumentals start with sensuous guitar layers like a brush of stars across the sky that build to a brilliant meteor shower rock crescendo of keyboard and guitar, with drums like crashing waves matching perfectly with the lyrics. Lyrics tend to grab your conscious mind and instrumentals grab your unconscious mind. When they pull together as one like the moon and the tides, you are swept into their lush rock n roller coaster.

The chorus echoes through the mind after hearing the song just once, “You changed my world – and if I would have stayed, I would have changed your world” saying it all in a sentence. The eternal human saga that precedes even Shakespeare: breathless liberation through finding someone who shares your ceiling breaking ideals, then that person turns corrupt and morphs into a sort of half person you knew and half new monster - but you can’t turn off loving them like a light switch - so you are left loving/hating the shell of someone who doesn’t really exist any more. The vocals are vulnerable, restrained then balls to the wall powerful when they let loose. Like early Ataris, Think Alike blends deep emotions with glittering guitar sweeps and searing beats. Ironically, on the Ataris’ new 2007 album, in ‘Not Capable of Love’ they sing “I’m not capable of…the kind of love I felt when I was 21”. Think Alike’s ‘The Truth of Telling It’ lets us all fall in love like we are 21 (19 to be more accurate in the case of frontman Damon Kellard), and reminds us with the truth of it’s telling of the kind of passion that is eternally the core of who we are, we just try to forget for fear the intensity will singe us like a moth drowned in the light it seeks.

Think Alike ‘The Truth of Telling It’ by: Damon Kellard (guitar/vocals/composer), Ben Oginz (synthesizer), Taylor Nudo (guitar/vocals), Jeff Kleinmen (drums/engineering), Alexan Marcus (bass).

Check out ‘The Truth of Telling It’ and Think Alike’s other upcoming releases, as well as their new line up at:

http://www.myspace.com/thinkalike

Photos: Maggy Rogow- balcony photo, Tara Eddie-black & white photo, Carson Lancaster- chimney photo, June Caldwell-photo editing.

June Caldwell lives amidst drawers stuffed with an array of earplugs, clipped wristbands, and notes scrawled on ticket stubs… splitting her time between concert reviews, and doing radio airplay promotions for Indie bands at Bryan Farrish Radio Promotions. She covers the LA music scene for artrocker.com, the largest bi-weekly new music publication in the UK, and www.fly.co.uk with her shutterbug hubby Roger.

June’s always interested in Indie bands looking for promotion, and can be contacted at: junejer@gmail.com.