The Episodes

Artist: Taproot
Album: The Episodes
Label: Victory Records
Release Date: 10th April 2012

Track Listing:
1. Good Morning
2. No Surrender
3. Lost Boy
4. Memorial Park
5. The Everlasting
6. Around The Bend
7. A Kiss From The Sky
8. Strange & Fascinating
9. A Golden Grey
10. We Don’t Belong Here

Taproot have over the 15 years together as a band become a much welcomed across the US Billboards, selling over 900,000 in the US alone, and as they set about to release their latest album ‘ The Episodes’ we can almost expect to see this number climbing. With 5 previous albums, numerous tours, and having been featured in such outlets as Rolling Stone, Revolver, Rock Sound, and Kerrang!, there seems to be no stopping them. ‘The Episodes’ itself has been developed primarily as a concept album with an outlook of intensifying their own knowledge and search for understanding whilst maintaining their alternative rock sound and pace.

As we first enter the album, there is the overall feeling of losing yourself to the music. The use of vocal effects takes heavy place on here, yet with all the other arrangement of effects active in this track you still have the melodic pacing of the music keeping you listening. Without stopping you are sent from track to track like that of an endless spiral, cleverly done without the need of that feeble half second pause. The combinations between the synths and effects of the panning between the right and left ears has been very well produced, not too heavy on either or muddy at all. Again, as tracks come and go, you are taken on the journey that the band is trying to show you.

When you get to ‘Memorial Park’ you’ll almost feel an atmospheric change happening from within, the music is becoming a part of you taking you deeper into the melodic harmonies. The use of the “computer-aided voice” to break up the tracks is just enough to save you from losing concentration. With the mixture and growls, shouts, effects and choruses, this is an excellent chill out album for those nights where you just want to disappear into yourself for a little while. From ‘A Kiss in the Sky’ to ‘A Golden Grey’ I found myself almost immersed in my seat just at peace with everything.

An amazing concept album; full with life, Sounds, Effects, and songs to free you.

Taproot are:
Stephen Richards – Guitar, Vocals
Mike De Wolf – Guitar
Phillip Lipscomb – Bass
Nick Fredell – Drums

9/10

Reviewed by Dylan Raine

VICTORY RECORDS has issued the following:

TAPROOT has just released a new music video for their single, “No Surrender” off their soon to be released album, The Episodes (4/10).

Using Chicago as the backdrop, “No Surrender”, was filmed by Eric Richter and crew at Victory Records. “The video follows the story of the song [No Surrender], in which our main character is in dire need of escaping his dark and mysterious hotel room (not knowing what’d happened there, but feels something bad). He is running away, unsure towards what, but longing for a sense of security and safety…Do or die, No Surrender!” Vocalist, Stephen Richards said.

TAPROOT will be playing a series of shows in support of the new album beginning April 10th. Check out the tour dates here. Pre-orders and package deals are now available, click here to order. Call your local radio station and request “No Surrender” TODAY! See below for a screen shot of the video.

Lineup:
·         Phil Lipscomb, Bass
·         Stephen Richards, Vocals
·         Nick Fredell, Drums
·         Mike DeWolf, Guitar