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by Tony Pascarella Published: August 23, 2005
Atlanta isn't exactly known for an abundance of superb rock acts, but rather for their hip-hop artists. Regardless, Cartel is poised to become the next big thing out of the ATL in any genre. Led by inspiring vocalist Will Pugh, the band also has Nic Hudson and Joseph Peppers on guitar, Ryan Roberts handling bass duties, and Kevin Sanders on drums. They released a debut EP titled The Ransom EP in November of 2004. On the success of that simple seven-track disc, they were able to cross the country several times on tours with much bigger acts that have allowed Cartel to build their fiercely loyal fanbase. Their debut album, Chroma, is getting massively hyped in various media outlets, leading to speculation that the band may be snapped up by a major label in the near future. But for now, they are the figureheads of a rock-solid roster for The Militia Group, a label that just keeps putting out better and better albums as the year progresses. "Some day you'll sing it out loud; one day this will make you proud!" Cartel vocalist Will Pugh promises in the very first song, "Say Anything (Else)." A song whose meaning can be open to interpretation, to me it seems to send a strikingly clear message to up-and-coming bands about making their own name and not acquiescing to label demands. Kevin Sanders absolutely steals the show with his bombastic drumming that alternates with well placed crashes. That's not to say that Sanders is the only highlight. Will's shimmering pop-punk vocals prove to be innovative and the best we've heard out of Cartel to date. For those of you who loved The Ransom EP, you'll find just this first bit of Chroma to be a gigantic step up from anything you could have even dreamed of. From the very first chords of "Honestly," Cartel has you hooked like Michael Jackson to little boys. The rich sound of the dual guitars get this song ingrained in your mind only seconds in. Crunchy yet purely melody-driven, "Honestly" just about screams "Single!" at the top of its lungs. The demos of "Runaway" gave me an idea what the song would sound like, but the version on Chroma throws the demo on its ear. I love how the lyricism is short and to the point, but the message buries itself deeper in your mind. Once you get through "Runaway," it may just be official. Cartel is your musical drug of choice. You want it, you need it, and you'll stop at nothing to get it. "Burn This City" benefits from an amplified opening chord that if turned too loud could damage your hearing. A more subdued version of the chord is picked up by the guitar section to send it along its merry way. A brisk pop-punk track with delightfully catchy lyrics and technical instrument work, "Burn This City" is yet another example of how incredible Chroma really is. "Save Us" is the first outright ballad on the album, starting with a plodding piano melody. Will Pugh's vocals are strong yet heartfelt, a quality that few vocalists can seem to fully harness in this day and age. From the memorable ballad to the sugarcoated punk that Cartel does so well, they certainly show off their diversity in the middle section of Chroma; nowhere is that more evident than the upbeat "Settle Down." Kevin Sanders shines with his energetic drumming, which drives one of the most underappreciated songs on the album. Remember that song that essentially introduced most of us to Cartel, "Luckie St."? It was the most beloved track off their The Ransom EP, and it makes a repeat performance, pimped out a little more, on the full-length. How in the world did they "pimp out" this song? Gone are the raw production and jagged mind-melding guitar riffs; both have been polished beyond belief. Also redone are Will's vocals, which went from a little hollow-sounding to muscular on the remake. If you liked the old version, the new one may just convert you to Cartel-worship. I, too, was skeptical that they could redo this song enough to make it worthy of a spot on the 12-track album. It ended up surpassing even my wildest expectations. "Matter of Time" is a simple pop-punk song on the surface. The layering of guitars and vocals really set it apart from some of the ones that follow. You'll find this chorus catchy, but I'm not completely sold yet on the vocals and verses themselves. It comes off as a bit too repetitive and if not preachy, then whiny. On such an excellent album, "Matter of Time" brings it down a bit; on any other artist's album, I might be touting it as the best on the disc. C'est la vie. There's no doubt about the musical punch of "If I Fail," however. Listeners will probably be so enthralled with the first half of Chroma that they may overlook the latter half, which has its fair share of stellar songs, "If I Fail" among them. In a sense, it's uplifting, which is a rare quality that Cartel does in their music; their lyrics are empowering, depending on how you interpret them. I'm sure most of you have heard this amazing statistic about "The Minstrel's Prayer," but I'll mention it again. Sixty-eight drum tracks and eighty string tracks are involved in this song. So yeah, Kevin Sanders was certainly working overtime on this one. It also manages to live up to the hype, although it does have a much different take than most of Cartel's other songs. "The Minstrel's Prayer" has a very acoustic feel to it, which helps accent Pugh's searching lyrics. The last two tracks feed off each other. "Q" is the first half of an ambitious close to the album; thematically, it stays very much along the lines of "Settle Down." It is hard-charging and focused, but on the surface may not be the Cartel you're used to. Upon further listen, you'll begin to love this track once you appreciate the ambition that Cartel used to write this and the following song.. I certainly enjoy the hell out of this song's infectious chorus. Its partner is the more than nine minute epic, simply titled "A." It partially contains a reprise of "Burn This City" which is interesting. Moving from an ambient track to nearly instrumental qualities, "A" is a lot more diverse than anything else to appear on the album. If you like mind-melding riffs with Cartel's pop enthusiasm, you'll enjoy it, despite the slightly overextended time of the track. Some may think "A" is a little too "out there," and thus won't like it, but I don't think many people can argue that the album as a whole is anything short of excellent. Chroma has a little bit of everything for you rabid pop-punk fans. Slick dual guitars, powerful vocals, powerful drumming, and great bass lines highlight this excellent debut album. If you were only a casual fan as a result of their EP, Chroma should make you a full-time Cartel convert. I definitely rank it among the "must have" albums of 2005 and I insist you own this album come September 20th. Go out and make this album the first to sell two million copies in a week. It's that good; you won't be disappointed.
To contact the author, click here. He will respond to most e-mail, hatemail included. If you are a publicist or associated with a band/label and would like either the author or any staff member to review your disc or conduct an interview, please use the same method of contact, and Tony will get back to you as soon as possible. |
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