Across The Board – “Don’t Drag Me Down”
Across The Board – “Don’t Drag Me Down” – Single Review
Fellow-Canadians and Toronto-based band Across The Board are back in action with a brand-new single called “Don’t Drag Me Down” officially released on International Women’s Day of this year & from their latest EP called Amends.
Wait…what am I saying here? Back in action? This band is anything but inactive or able to remotely sit-still at any given time. A quick glance at their YouTube page will confirm this easily with over 150 videos leading to thousands of subscribers and fans excited about whatever they choose to do next. From covers to collaborations, live-cuts to pro-videos – Across The Board are clearly making all the moves necessary with all the effort required to keep at this full-time as career musicians. Branching-off the attention, support & success of their debut-album Jane On Fire in 2016 – it’s awesome to see/hear that Across The Board are still putting in the work to firmly establish themselves in the music-scene with a new release so soon. I’m looking forward to the Amends EP…I’ve always enjoyed Across The Board’s music since first being turned onto it about 3-or-so years ago and from what I can tell by listening to their new single “Don’t Drag Me Down” – the energy & excitement surrounding their music continues to build for many good reasons.
First of all, as I’ve already indicated – this ain’t their first rodeo! We’re talking about an extremely well-oiled machine at this point and cohesive vision shared in unity between the members of Across The Board that leads them to flawless performances, stunning writing and professional execution, time & time again. In that sense…”Don’t Drag Me Down” is another quintessential example of the band at their best…which amazingly, they seem to be at each & every time I hear something new from them. Coincidence? I think not. Across The Board is a shining example of what the results look & sound-like when you put in the work & the effort – but more importantly, when you really love what you do.
Check-mark in the win-column for the musicianship…as reliable as ever. For those familiar with Canadian bands of the past…the mix of pop-rock & gentle-alternative styles on “Don’t Drag Me Down” might remind you of a band like the Wild Strawberries. It has that punchy-energy and inviting, universally-acceptable sound that definitely keeps the song moving – but you’ll notice that the style, grace and confidence on the microphone also has similar qualities. At the end of the day, Wild Strawberries were a bit on the sleepy-side and if anything, that led to their downfall…I think that a band like Across The Board has a much better shot/potential for lasting success with the added life, passion and energy you can hear in a song like “Don’t Drag Me Down.” In particular – shout-out to Jacqueline Auguste for a completely stellar performance; she delivers powerfully and confidently on the mic with a vibrantly-bright and energetic set of vocal-rhythms, layered-harmonies & melodies that boldly exist, soar and thrive perfectly in this song.
But don’t get me wrong…they all deserve a shout-out because this is definitely another fantastic song by a band you can clearly rely on to bring their A-game each and every time. So to Damien, Andy and Paul, my hat is off equally to you gentlemen for consistently holding the fort and keeping us all incredibly entertained while allowing Jacqueline the creative freedom to step-up & really own that microphone. There’s a seriously uplifting energy that radiates beautifully from this song’s melody…and like all the best songs out there, continually expands to get better & better as it evolves.
For it’s just like the man Dave Grohl once said…’go forth and write a verse…then write a chorus…then go scrap that verse, make your chorus your verse instead and then go write an even BIGGER chorus’ – I’m paraphrasing I’m sure but you get the idea. “Don’t Drag Me Down” sounds extremely spirited and written with a similar approach designed to captivate the mind & surround you in sound…each layer added to the song’s idea and flow just makes the moment more massive and more memorable. Confirming what we already know about the reliable consistency and quality of their music – Across The Board continues to impress with “Don’t Drag Me Down” – another top-shelf, single-worthy tune from a reliable band with an ever-expanding catalog growing full of them already.
Find out more about Across The Board from their official page at: http://www.acrosstheboardband.ca/
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