Album Review: The Colour-Between Earth and Sky

It’s called “classic” rock for a reason. There’s something fundamental that generations of listeners can all identify with and a pure sound that can be appreciated no matter the decade—and it’s made it this far for a reason. Los Angeles rockers The Colour possess that timeless edge that might confuse them with early rock classics like The Rolling Stones, The Smiths or The Clash, meanwhile busting the eardrums of today’s Arctic Monkeys listening youth with its Anglo-inspired qualities. The Colour is one those undeniably awesome, consistently brilliant bands you can rock out to anytime of the year, no matter the current musical trends. And you can expect to be listening to it for a long time.

After releasing an EP in 2006, The Colour graced the world with its first full-length album Between Earth and Sky in 2007. Four years on the market, this album is anything but old; in fact, it only gets better with age. It’s got the same retro-rock appeal of contemporaries Razorlight and Wolfmother with hefty guitar lines backed by piano. While these guys obviously did their classic rock homework, what drives them isn’t solely their throwback appeal but rather frontman Wyatt Hull’s emotion-infused vocals.

The album commands respect in a way that most indie rock bands today fail to, attributable to the band’s complete well-roundedness. It’s rhythmically addicting, vocally strong and lyrically smart. Not only do they manage to capture a sound lost over the decades, but they do it while somehow remaining relevant to the times. There is no point in locating the best songs of the album because any track would be difficult to argue with. With vocals that clearly distinguish them from every other ‘70s cover band and rhythms that will literally stay in your head all day (case in point: “Save Yourself”) The Colour is not a band you want to miss out on—it’s never too late to become a fan.

-Witler

Tracklist

1. Can’t You Hear It Call
2. Devil’s Got A Holda Me
3. Save Yourself
4. Silver Meadows
5. Our Children Were the Stars
6. Black Summer
7. Just a Taste
8. You’re a Treasure
9. Kill the Lights
10. Salt the Earth
11. Bearded Lady
12. Dirge to Earth and Sky