DC pop-rockers Color School offer up a delightfully warm and organic playlist of wonderfully enjoyable songs on this latest EP release. Close Enough To Fix begins with one of its strongest songs of all – Control is a quickly memorable track, gentle and melodically satisfying, reminiscent of the likes of Fleetwood Mac or even The Corrs in some ways. The band’s songwriting stands tall, perhaps above genre or style, and this continues to ring true throughout the project.
Own follows the opener and leans in a slightly more dreamlike and thoughtful direction – where the first song had simple color, space and joy, this one feels familiar and relevant yet somewhat more indie-rock than pop or Americana. In both cases though, you get an anthem-like vibe from the hook – again, Color School drive with superb songwriting, and this is undoubtedly what helps make this EP a total pleasure to listen through.
Issue sees a funk-like rhythm drive as a pair of vocals deliver with a near-whispered approach. The male and female tones work well together in offering a long-form melody line that’s easily one of the most unique and interesting of all. The guitar work here is great, stylish and expressive – as is the drum sound and the general set-up of the entire soundscape.
Taking things in a delicately intimate direction is the song What’s On Your Mind? Those vocals meet up yet again, reinforcing the song’s hook yet going their separate ways during the verse – creating a dynamic that helps build a sense of development and evolution. I was reminded slightly of The Beautiful South at this point, the considerate arrangement helps the softness of the song and its direct addressing really connect. The latter half features some gorgeously passionate vocal peaks.
At the penultimate moment, Before Now injects a hearty dose of upbeat vibrancy into the collection and furthers that subtle sense of eclecticism. If you were to catch Color School at a live show, this song would be the moment at which the dance floor comes alive with movement and togetherness. After this, the musically entrancing lightness of Another Heartache brings the project calmly to a close.
Another Heartache starts off with some organic and soulful guitar picking, followed soon afterwards by what is one of the most mesmerising and soulful vocal performances yet. The song feels very genuine in its manner of dealing with or outlining heartache. You can hear it in the musical progression, in the lyrics, and in the longing that pours through in that leading voice. A definite highlight, creatively and in terms of the passion and how captivating the whole thing proves to be.
As suggested, Color School know how to write great songs, and though their sound is somewhat familiar in set-up, there’s a comforting nostalgic quality to that. You can rely on the EP in full to offer songs that will let you escape, that will sound great, and that will keep you entertained and calm for as long as you need them to. An impressive release and a band well worth looking out for on the live scene.
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