Canada has given America many great gifts: maple syrup, ice hockey and a polite attitude. However, between Justin Bieber and Nickelback, the US has not received the greatest musical talent from that country. It is only natural that Americans are dubious of new Canadian Acts.
One band that breaks this stereotype is Marianas Trench. They have risen to the top of the charts and have become singing sensations in Canada, though they remain unknown in the US.
Marianas Trench dropped their third studio album, Ever After, in November. According to Billboard.com, the album debuted at number eight on the top Canadian albums chart but did not place on the American chart.
Ever After is as unique as it is a concept album, based on a fairy tale written by the band’s lead singer, Josh Ramsay. Though the tale itself is not the most fantastic piece of literature, the songs are beautifully written and have unique rhythms that combine many different genres into one album in the best way possible.
Ever After opens with a song of the same name. It starts slow and builds up to a powerful ending, featuring strong piano riffs and Ramsay’s smooth, angelic voice. It ends up creating a great opener to the album, something that’s perfect for bother relaxing and rocking out.
Interestingly, Marianas Trench produced the album so that each song transitions into the next, without any breaks, creating the feeling of being told a story. “Ever After” transitions well into the next song, “Haven’t Had Enough,” which had been previously released as a single. This song takes on an entirely different tone; it is more retro-pop than the previous song, with a catchy upbeat tune that sticks in the listener’s head.
The transition into the next track, “By Now,” is intentionally abrupt, as the songs seem to switch genres once again. “By Now” starts soft, like “Ever After,” but turns into a power ballad, displaying some of Ramsay’s remarkable vocal abilities.
The song “Truth or Dare” begins with dub step undertones, starting with no instrumentals and only a very entertaining “wub, wub, wub, wub.”It quickly transitions into another pop-rock power song.
The next track, “Desperate Measures” could perhaps be the best on the album, rivaled only by “Toy Soldiers” four songs away. It has a fast beat that’s easy to rock out to and catchy lyrics. The same can be said of “Toy Soldiers,” which is a haunting song that displays the best of Ramsay’s vocal abilities.
Other ballads like “Porcelain” show the softer side of Marianas Trench. This transitions into yet another previously released single, “Fallout.” Although Ramsay sings “fallout” an upwards of 65 times in this song, it is still a wonderful, slightly depressing song about not wanting to lose touch and break it off with a loved one.
The album closer, “No Place Like Home,” is an intense, almost seven-minute-long song that incorporates the best of the other songs on the albums, mixed with new riffs and syncopations. This song is similar to the closer on their sophomore album, Masterpiece Theater, titled “Masterpiece Theater III,” which included the best of their first two albums. It is a unique idea which incorporates several different genres into one song and finishes the story well. With memorable lyrics and an interesting combination of rhythms, this song is perfect for the final good bye from Ever After.
Despite some of the messy transitions, this album might just be Marianas Trench’s best yet. Without a doubt, these guys should be able to achieve the level of popularity they have in Canada here in the States.
