Album Review: States - Room To Run

It’s clear from the first few seconds of the kind of funky-yet-distorted guitar parts you would expect from Stereophonics that States are no ordinary female fronted band. Their dynamics, the way they present themselves and of course the powerful voice of Mindy White are vastly different from the Paramore and Flyleaf vein that has been pushed so hard in recent years.

In fact their sound is more akin to Manic Street Preachers with the eclectic and raunchy, yet undeniably pop feel of ‘Timebomb’; an opening track that impresses with both its bark and its bite, doing what all openers should aim to, setting a standard for the rest of the album.

And ‘Room To Run’ certainly seems to hit that standard consistently.

The band do not hesitate either to explore every end of Mindy White’s vocal cords; ‘Captivating Me’ proving case and point that along with the beautiful synthesizer that compliments it, Mindy’s voice has an impressive and powerful range.

Let us not forget however, the reliability and the creativity of States’ rhythm section, their flourishing adaptations to each dissenting tone and mastery of their instruments keep each song together like superglue, it’s hard not to notice both the accuracy and the complexity of the drums for example in the aforementioned track. There is a great elegance that is displayed by that level of precision and reliability.

As mentioned before this band has a great range, and this isn’t just limited to the vocals, the entire style is subject to musical evolution, ‘Everlasting’ for one, gains the power of a fuzzy synthesizer and takes on the form of a pop anthem that’s almost Lady Gaga.

The bass and the synthesizer together create an almost sexual energy in their complimentary parts, the kind of music that gives you butterflies is created with this knowledge in tow, solidifying the fact that every musician in this band is a perfect partner for the other, the instruments working together with such bravado that you would be forgiven for thinking there was one man playing them all.

This album, from start to finish, is beautiful. Its form is both fluctuating and consistent and every member of the band has something to say on the record. It’s hard to think of who this would not appeal to. This has the potential to reach its musical arms across unfathomable distances.

4/5

'Room To Run' is out October 18th through States and Eggs Records.

Edward Strickson