"From O.C. to Alaska"

Eye Alaska - Yellow and Elephant

Record Label: Fearless Records
Release Date: July 22, 2008
Produced by: Brandon Wronski

Track Listing:
1. I Knew You’d Never Fly
2. Stop Me Now, I’m Not Ready
3. Roll Right Over
4. Through Willows and Streams
5. A Storm in the Child’s Fountain
6. Cheetah and the Tiger

Not having any connection to Sarah Palin’s hometown, it takes a moment to get past Eye Alaska’s name before focusing on what really matters – their music. Taking the Aleutian meaning for Alaska, “That which the sea breaks against,” the Orange County quartet created a significant name that reflects them as individuals. “(Eye Alaska) represents us as people who have dealt with trials and problems in life, as people who have felt our own oceans breaking against us,” lead singer Brandon Wronski explains in their bio.

Described as ‘cinematic rock,’ I expected something along the lines of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, rather than Panic at the Disco – simply having a string section on a few tracks doesn’t make it ‘cinematic.’ Despite a rather liberal use of the word to depict the band, I didn’t turn it away in disgust.

Wronski’s voice soars on this six song EP, and creates some separation between similar sounding groups. On “I Knew You’d Never Fly,” a smattering of ivory keys are heard, with his strong voice holding pace before the band kicks in with something reminiscent of Panic or Fall Out Boy. But his voice - what a difference it makes. Musically, as the EP quickly unfolds, the band doesn’t do much else to set them apart from anyone else in the scene. “Stop Me Now, I’m Not Ready” has an unstoppable groove to it, but the album’s closer “Cheetah and the Tiger,” sounds much too “sexed up” and suggestive to take too seriously.

I’m very interested to see them live though, because their vibe could work very well in a club and do them greater justice.


www.myspace.com/eyealaska