CD Review - Lost At Sea by Exceptional Edward

“While their music would fit well on an "American Pie" soundtrack, their music is not thoughtless and vain. There is a message, and there is a talent, to their music. Which, by the way, is well-executed.”
–Steve Dustcircle, Columbus Music Review



Release Date: 29 April 2008

Genre: Indie/Pop/Rock

Publisher: (C) 2008 Exceptional Edward

Label: Unsigned

Time: 44m 00s

Review Date:18-October-2008

Format: MP3

JivePK™: Currently not a Jivewired member.


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Track Listing:

01. Change My Mind 3:40
02. Places And Faces 3:06
03. The Sea Captain 3:52
04. Never Come Down 2:55
05. Good People 3:57
06. About A Boy 4:49
07. Buried By Gray 4:18
08. Goodbye 3:41
09. A Night Like This 4:23
10. Home 4:21
11. At The Steak 'N Shake 4:58

Review:

The term Brit-Pop is one of those slightly nondescript terms coined by some laconic British music journalist in an attempt to define a key moment during a transitional period of U.K. based rock and pop. It happens all the time, really. Think grunge, punk, electronica and trip-hop - all offshoots of previously defined genres. The terms are endless and coined as a result of critics and fans scrambling to sub-define and culture the music they love. Nonetheless, Brit-Pop, which emerged from the Manchester pop music explosion of the mid-eighties, is defined as pop music with a decidedly British slant to it. That's where Exceptional Edward fits in.

Influenced by such contemporaries as Oasis, The Verve and Radiohead, with perhaps a little Death Cab For Cutie mixed in, Exceptional Edward has hit its collective stride with the release of "Lost At Sea". The song that first caught my attention is "Home", a judicious intersection of infectious, searing guitars and sentimental vocals that leads to a stunningly breathtaking crescendo - I could only imagine how amazing it would be to hear this song performed live. That being said, the entire CD is brilliantly memorable, featuring a number of intelligent, sweeping epics and catchy singles. Indeed, Exceptional Edward covers the entire Brit-Pop spectrum: anthemic ("Good People"); enigmatic ("Never Come Down"); intoxicating ("Home"); atmospheric ("Buried By Gray") and hypnotic ("The Sea Captain").

"Lost At Sea" makes an indelible imprint on the Brit-Pop genre that is decidedly American, and cements their place in a resurgence of that movement. In fact, the song "Good People" stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the previous efforts that influenced Exceptional Edward's sound. The whole disc has a seminal, uber-cool feel to it that is reminiscent of the richly-textured, ethereal debut release by The Verve, "A Storm In Heaven", which coincidentally tops my list as the Best Of Brit Sound.

I dare you to try and listen to this disc just once (you won't be able to). Yes, it's that hypnotically entrancing. In fact, I may break out The La's, Radiohead, Oasis, The Verve, K.L.F. and Exceptional Edward's "Lost At Sea" and have my very own Brit Sound Saturday Night.

~ Brooke Horrocks Jivewired.com

About Exceptional Edward:

Exceptional Edward is an indie-rock band from Columbus, Ohio, that has been performing and recording together since 2006.

The group was formed after a chance meeting between two former neighbors, and in the four years since, the band has evolved into a noteworthy indie-pop force.

Talented and unique are just a few of the adjectives used to describe this up-and-coming artist whose sound has been compared to some of today’s hottest bands including Death Cab for Cutie, the National and the Flaming Lips.

Exceptional Edward has released three albums; the Exceptional EP (2006), and the Music Vault Indie Album of the Year, Lost at Sea (2008) and Put Out the Fire (March 2010). Their music has also been featured in a number of film and television projects including Roadtrip Nation, "Across the Field" and a national ad campaign for NDSS.