Released: March 19, 2013
Record Label: Vital Records
Tilian Pearson is one of those vocalists that take time to grow on you. For those who are unaware, he is typically a vocalist for post-hardcore bands, and has moved around a lot. Currently, he is one of two vocalists for the Sacramento sextet Dance Gavin Dance, but his career has been tempestuous. He is best known as the vocalist for Tides of Man, and since garnered much attention from more mainstream bands. After vocalist Cove Reber was cut from Saosin, Tilian tried out for the position, and it seemed like he would get it, but after much controversy he was ultimately not a member. Shame, too, because his vocals would have definitely benefited a band whose future is now probably bleak. He was rumored to be the new vocalist for Emarosa, but that didn't work out, and has finally settled down with Dance Gavin Dance.
Like I said before, his vocal style is something that is an acquired taste; he has a very high-pitched sing and it puts many people off. I was no exception, as I dismissed his work, until recently it grew on me. It's very distinct, one of those voices you would recognize almost immediately. Taking into account his eclectic style and his popularity, a solo album seemed quite obvious. Usually, when a vocalist of a band decides to go solo (especially recently), it is met with mixed reviews.
A short list of such:
Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy): Released Soul Punk late 2011, and while I liked it, it wasn't met too well with the public.
Matty Arsenault (A Loss for Words): No album, but the stuff he's released is quite boring.
Tyler Carter (Woe is Me, Issues): Amazing voice, and has released great covers, but more of the same with Matty.
Anthony Raneri (Bayside): Radical style shift from his Bayside stuff, a punk band, to solo. It was met very well with the public and critics alike.
Jonny Craig (Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa): Decent first album, but I can't stand the man as a person.
Most of all these vocalists (with the exception of Raneri) have released very pop-oriented material, and Tilian is no exception. What separates him from his contemporaries, however, is that his voice has perfectly complemented the musical accompanyment. It's a strange vocal style, remember, so it's difficult to pull off, but he did a wonderful job doing so. Let's take a look at this album as a whole, then each individual song.
Album as a Whole
This record flows perfectly. There is a good mix of slow ballads, and dance material. Each song is easily identifiable, despite staying in the same key throughout. It's normally a hard task to accomplish, because sometimes these songs can just mesh together and run the risk of being same-sounding.
Does this album push the boundaries of pop music? No, not really; but while most of pop can have obnoxious synth riffs or overbearing vocals (Flo Rida or Beyonce, for example), Tilian seems to have struck that perfect balance. A good example of this is "Up in the Air," one of the singles. There's a slow build throughout the song, and the ending gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Even when Tilian hits his higher range, it's doesn't feel like it's too much; each song calls for a different way of presenting his voice and he delivers.
The prevalent theme of the album's lyrics deal with love. I know, it's not too groundbreaking, but I find them very thoughtful and not conceited (for lack of a better word). When he has to criticize himself, he does, when he talks about the faults of someone else, he does. It's a very nice thing that's uncommon; none of the lyrics I encountered are malicious by any stretch of the imagination, and never comes across as whiny. It's unusual to see in love songs nowadays, and it's a breath of fresh air.
I would give this a 10/10 without doubt.
Short Takes on Songs
Record Label: Vital Records
Tilian Pearson is one of those vocalists that take time to grow on you. For those who are unaware, he is typically a vocalist for post-hardcore bands, and has moved around a lot. Currently, he is one of two vocalists for the Sacramento sextet Dance Gavin Dance, but his career has been tempestuous. He is best known as the vocalist for Tides of Man, and since garnered much attention from more mainstream bands. After vocalist Cove Reber was cut from Saosin, Tilian tried out for the position, and it seemed like he would get it, but after much controversy he was ultimately not a member. Shame, too, because his vocals would have definitely benefited a band whose future is now probably bleak. He was rumored to be the new vocalist for Emarosa, but that didn't work out, and has finally settled down with Dance Gavin Dance.
Like I said before, his vocal style is something that is an acquired taste; he has a very high-pitched sing and it puts many people off. I was no exception, as I dismissed his work, until recently it grew on me. It's very distinct, one of those voices you would recognize almost immediately. Taking into account his eclectic style and his popularity, a solo album seemed quite obvious. Usually, when a vocalist of a band decides to go solo (especially recently), it is met with mixed reviews.
A short list of such:
Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy): Released Soul Punk late 2011, and while I liked it, it wasn't met too well with the public.
Matty Arsenault (A Loss for Words): No album, but the stuff he's released is quite boring.
Tyler Carter (Woe is Me, Issues): Amazing voice, and has released great covers, but more of the same with Matty.
Anthony Raneri (Bayside): Radical style shift from his Bayside stuff, a punk band, to solo. It was met very well with the public and critics alike.
Jonny Craig (Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa): Decent first album, but I can't stand the man as a person.
Most of all these vocalists (with the exception of Raneri) have released very pop-oriented material, and Tilian is no exception. What separates him from his contemporaries, however, is that his voice has perfectly complemented the musical accompanyment. It's a strange vocal style, remember, so it's difficult to pull off, but he did a wonderful job doing so. Let's take a look at this album as a whole, then each individual song.
Album as a Whole
This record flows perfectly. There is a good mix of slow ballads, and dance material. Each song is easily identifiable, despite staying in the same key throughout. It's normally a hard task to accomplish, because sometimes these songs can just mesh together and run the risk of being same-sounding.
Does this album push the boundaries of pop music? No, not really; but while most of pop can have obnoxious synth riffs or overbearing vocals (Flo Rida or Beyonce, for example), Tilian seems to have struck that perfect balance. A good example of this is "Up in the Air," one of the singles. There's a slow build throughout the song, and the ending gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Even when Tilian hits his higher range, it's doesn't feel like it's too much; each song calls for a different way of presenting his voice and he delivers.
The prevalent theme of the album's lyrics deal with love. I know, it's not too groundbreaking, but I find them very thoughtful and not conceited (for lack of a better word). When he has to criticize himself, he does, when he talks about the faults of someone else, he does. It's a very nice thing that's uncommon; none of the lyrics I encountered are malicious by any stretch of the imagination, and never comes across as whiny. It's unusual to see in love songs nowadays, and it's a breath of fresh air.
I would give this a 10/10 without doubt.
Short Takes on Songs
- Now or Never (featuring Tyler Carter of Issues): It's a dance track, and a good opener. It's certainly not the best on the record, but sets the tone of the album. It's a triplet feel, which you don't see in too many pop songs. Good way to start the album. Tyler Carter has a cameo on the bridge, and surprisingly the two work together very well. 8/10
- Someday: One of the best tracks I have heard in a long, long time. It's a song of the year contender for me. Tilian's vocals fire on all cylinders, and the music is great. The electronic drums in it complement it very well, and the guitar work is great here. This is a wonderful listen and I recommend it for anyone, not just pop fans or fans of Tilian Pearson of Tides of Man. It's about dealing with growing up with someone and reminiscing about more innocent times. He doesn't want to give up on his love interest because of the great times they had together when they were younger. It's an amazing track, and it's one of those songs that makes me emotionally in tune with it, which almost never happens with me. 10/10 (if I could go over 10 I would).
- Waste my Time: ... and the pace picks back up. It's catchy, I can dance to it in the shower (don't judge me), and has a very anthemic chorus (especially the ba-da-da-da-da-da part at the end of each one). The drum work here is simple yet extremely effective. Another stud from here. 9/10
- Chemicals: This is the first single from the album, and is probably the most upbeat. Follows the same structure from "Waste my Time," and has an even better beat. It's driven by chilling synth riffs. Only problem here is that Tilian's voice are sometimes too high when they shouldn't be, but it's not distracting. 8/10
- Up in the Air: It was the first track I heard from the album when I got it. The falsetto that Tilian does is amazing and it flows well into the chorus. The acoustic backing here is really relaxing, and the lyrics are very relatable. It's about having your life in the balance, and making the right choices. Towards the end, the acoustic fades into a more heavy electric guitar riff, and back into the acoustic. It's not a new thing in music, but it's done so well. His singing at the end is something to listen to; not like anything I've ever heard from him or anything else. 10/10
- You'll Forget Me Soon (featuring Sofia Sweet): One thing I like about this album is that everytime there is a softer song, it comes back into something catchy. This keeps the pace constant and doesn't ever become boring. The synth line in the chorus is pretty neat, and Tilian doesn't over-exert himself. It's not one of the stronger tracks, but still good nontheless. 7/10
- Favor the Gods: Tilian is fighting with his psyche, and isn't satisfied with the status quo. Something has to change; this is the first song that changes to a new key (for those who don't know what a key is, just think of it as the sound of a music, how the music notes are arranged, etc.). The transitions from verse to chorus back to verse are pretty nice here, and the beat is very steady. 9/10
- Perfect Lie: One of the fastest songs on Material Me. Let me reiterate, I love the way that this album switches up the speed and tempo every track. The electric guitar ridden beat is great, and puts Tilian in less familiar territory in terms of the rest of the album. He does it great, though, and I can see this becoming a hit (maybe, depending on how he's marketed). It's a very poppy song, so be prepared for the mainstream sound, though you should have been before listening. 10/10
- Ghost: The slow buildup with the synth and then Tilian coming in with his strong vocals is a nice touch. This mid-tempo ballad is one of the best on Material Me, and is very different vocally from the rest of the album. Tilian experiments with his high range a lot more. His voice is a bit processed here, but it works well with the song. 10/10
- Flutter: Back to the dance tunes. Not a very strong track, but it's charming in its own right. Not much to say, but I enjoy it. 7.5/10
- Feel it Again: The album closer, and oh, what a closer. The beginning reminds me of Ne-Yo's "Let me Love You," a very underrated dance track. It's about living out the night so you don't worry about the future and the panic that comes with that. This is something that someone wanting to party and forget about the stresses in life should definitely put on. Normally, this would be my favorite, but seeing as how the album is just so amazing, this barely makes the top 5. Oh, and I usually don't have an ear for dubstep, but it oddly works here. I don't know why, but it's just a weird touch that I think is really interesting. 10/10
Final Thoughts
Out of all the solo projects released in the past few years, Material Me has to be by far the best. Not just that, it's one of the best pop album I have heard in year. I don't listen to a big portion of the Hot 100, but I keep track of what's popular. I have to say, this fits right in while having its own distinct sound. This is, to no surprise to anyone who has listened to the album, a must listen for fans of all genres. It flows well, is always interesting, and never loses a step. This is my favorite album of 2013 so far, and may well stay that way.
Album Rating: 10/10
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