| Artist |
| Edge Of Dawn |
| Title |
| Anything That Gets You Through The Night |
| Format/Cat |
| CD mind 148 |
| Label |
| Dependent |
| Style |
| emotive electro |
| Date of review |
| 19th August 2010 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 8/10 |
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Mention the name Frank Spinath to anyone & it's odds-on they'll immediately think of Seabound but Edge Of Dawn, his 'other' band, has just as much to offer musically & this second EOD offering, sees him & Mario Schumacher again proving that, sometimes, there's just no substitute for good songwriting! Actually, it's not too unfair to say that Seabound & EOD tread fairly similar paths, both employing outwardly poppy styles with darker undertones complimented by lyrics that often dwell on the darker side of human emotions. And that is very much what this album is about, delivering 50 minutes of polished & accessable but always compelling & engaging music that is not without dancefloor potential (although I expect there will be some remixes floating around somewhere to ensure that it doesn't miss out!) but which is tailor-made to be appreciated at home where repeated listenings are a good idea, all the better to fully appreciate the music's nuances. This mixture of dark & light is exemplified on a number of tracks by the way the harder, rhythm-driven verses, where the whispered/spoken voices make for a mood that is at once intimate & slightly chiling, as if Frank is bringing his demons into the open air, are contrasted sharply by some immediately memorable choruses. It's a trick that is used to good effect throughout, most notably during `Falling' & again during the slightly disembodied 'All The Time', although the Moroder-like sequences that arrive later on provide a good deal more empetus while the melancholic mood of 'Valid World' is made more human still by the guitar-like effects that add a distinctly organic feel to this fine piece. That the opening tracks prove to be enjoyable rather than essential mean it takes a while to really find its feet although it hits its stride in fine style during the middle & end sections, with the relatively optimistic 'Lucid Dreams', which also features Hungry Lucy's Christa Belle, proving one of the stand-out pieces with the vocals & music combining in quite superb fashion. It's a surprise to see any guest vocalists on any of Frank's albums, it's usually him doing the honours for other acts but it works well as Iris' Reagan Jones adds his all-American style to the opening 'Beyond The Gate' & one Jasmin Schneider helps out on 'Denial'; both succeed in adding extra facets to their respective tracks but this is still very much Frank & Mario's baby, it's their musical & vocal skills that make it the triumph that it is &, in case you were wondering, yes, they are as good as Seabound so if you haven't snapped this up yet, what are you waiting for?
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