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Album Wed Mar 09 2011
Paper Arrows Release In The Morning
Yesterday (March 8) Chicago's own Paper Arrows released their third full-length In The Morning on local label Quell Records.
Paper Arrows have been causing a stir within the Chicago music scene since their debut album was released in 2008 and were recently named one of the Chicago Tribune's "11 Local Bands to Watch in 2011."
When listening to In The Morning, sometimes it's easy to forget — or, rather, hard to believe — that Paper Arrows are native to Chicago. The songs on In The Morning possess a gentle quality typically absent in such a bustling and occasionally even stifling urban environment. In The Morning's opener "Lonesome Sound" is filled with dabbling piano melodies, rolling drum beats and a slow, thumping bass line.
Vocalist Joe Goodkin's croons and the slick production quality on In The Morning allow Paper Arrows to dance the line between underground indie appeal and radio-ready rock — a good place to be for any band. Songs like "Smoke and Ash" have a southern feel reminiscent of some slower Kings Of Leon tracks, while "Echo In Disguise" is pure pop-rock goodness.
The energy on In The Morning is tame. Sometimes suitably so, but at some points it's regrettable. Several of the songs on Paper Arrows' newest album, like "Dirty Engine" feel like three-minute build-ups with no climax. For a band with as much potential as Paper Arrows, nothing should ever be held back.