Fivestar Riot
Unfamiliar Sky
Self-Released
I predict a riot. Oops, that’s another band. Fivestar Riot is a youthful (in the sleeve picture they look like they’re in their late teens) American alternative pop/rock group that has absorbed quite a bit of post-grunge from the likes of Incubus and 3 Doors Down. While that won’t win them votes in the dogmatic ears of aging rock critics, Fivestar Riot aren’t trying to court East Coast hipsters in black trench coats. No, they’re simply a well-meaning band with an evolving musical chemistry, an appealing vocalist and a collection of straightforward, heart-on-the-sleeve rockers that would be embraced by the WB’s teen dramas.
While the band’s material hasn’t risen to the level that their talent promises, most of the songs on this five-track EP are memorable enough for me to reward it with a thumbs up. I say “most” because the title song, the first track on the EP, seems half-finished; it’s an experiment in prog-rock doodling that quits on itself just as it starts to build up and become interesting. Perhaps on a full-length, Fivestar Riot will complete the saga in a George Lucas-ish manner. After that, it’s smooth sailing for Fivestar Riot as they deliver the goods: four songs of emotional turmoil that seem like “Dear John” letters from home.
Firestar Riot: http://www.fivestarriot.com
