Betweenzone – “Strong!” / “Cross The Line”
Betweenzone – “Strong!” / “Cross The Line” – Singles Review
Always great to have these guys back in the mix.
You never really know which version of Betweenzone you’re gonna get when they show up again, it’s kind of been one of the great mysteries of life in the music scene really. From the time I started listening to this duo consisting of EAST and Dave M. Rile from Germany way back in 2018, they’ve continuously flipped between what seems like two main gears…a highly accessible brand of flashy Pop/Rock, and a more involved & personal mission to create ambitious tunes that can be a bit harder to wrap our heads around. While there’s no doubt that since I’m still listening to Betweenzone some six years-plus later than when I first started that I clearly enjoy both these two sides to their musical story, I’d probably be lying to ya by omission if I didn’t say I have a favorite of the two. I do! I have a hard time resisting this band when they’re at their catchiest, and I’m never inclined to try…I just reach for the volume on my stereo system and turn it UP nice and loud. I’m happy to report this is the Betweenzone we’re getting this time around through these two new singles, called “Cross The Line” and most recently, “Strong!.”
Like…c’mon y’all…you know you can’t resist the sound of “Strong!” – if I couldn’t, then how could you? I’m not saying I’m extra bulletproof or more capable of turning away from a song designed to be liked more than you would be, but there’s a solid chance I’ve heard more music than the majority of people at this point in my career. So believe me when I tell ya, if there was a way not to get sucked right into the blissful gravitational pull of a song like “Strong!” that I would have likely found it by now. The reality is, I have no desire to do anything else but turn this song right UP where it belongs, because it’s really a stellar example of Betweenzone at their finest and most focused. Love the intriguing beginning to this song, I love the vibrant definition in the low-end bass that comes in afterwards, and I thought the clever way that Dave chose to sing this song in the opening verse was truly brilliant. He seems to almost make himself purposely small against the swell of the music as he begins to sing, which in turn gives him the perfect opportunity to rise to the occasion for the main hooks and sound as “Strong!” as the theme implies. It’s the right kind of match, the right kind of pairing, the kind of concept that’s executed in a way that tells your ears it’s by no means any kind of accident – this is well-crafted songwriting that is truly well thought-out, and heck yeah, I think we all appreciate that when we find it, don’t we? For real – “Strong!” is what it sounds like when everything is going right and the attention to detail is as high as high can be. When these dudes wanna go in that catchy direction, they’ve always been exceptional – think about tunes like “We Got No” in their past catalog, or albums like Full Artificial Intelligence for example…this is the version of Betweenzone that seems to effortlessly connect to their audience, and what I’d imagine the bulk of them are hoping to find every time they push play on a new song. I love the way the vocals sound in “Strong!” and how Dave has got them designed to match the concept…the background vocals give this song additional strength when it’s needed most…it’s all very well-conceived.
While it’s probably fair to say that of the two songs I’ve got here, “Strong!” is likely my favorite – I’d still tell ya that “Cross The Line” really ain’t all that far behind it. Certainly not when it comes to the quality of the music or the production – right now, it’s clear between both of these tunes that Betweenzone has continued to sharpen their skillset and they’re sounding better than ever in that regard. What hit me first when I heard “Cross The Line” was the stunning way that EAST plays his guitar. I feel like what you hear in the main musical hook of “Cross The Line” is a prime example of something that could have very well fallen flat in the hands of someone else, you know what I mean? That’s the magic of the way that EAST plays – when you hear that opening guitar line, you can audibly HEAR how much passion & feel he has for the instrument…a connection that exists between him and his guitar that simply can’t be faked. The solo at the end of the song speaks just as strongly about his musicianship – the dude knows how to take what might have ended up as a fairly ordinary guitar line, and make it sound like the ONLY thing you wanna listen to through the way that he plays it. That’s no easy accomplishment dear readers, dear friends – that’s an achievement on its own, and it’s a massive part of the appeal put forth through your speakers on “Cross The Line.” As for Dave, I’d tell ya he’s done another excellent job with the way he sings it and that we really can’t ask for more than what he’s given us. Whether it’s the more serene calm that he approaches the verses with, or the melodic intensity that he brings to the way he sings the chorus, he finds the right energy and gear to make everything sound highly accessible. I’ll admit that “Cross The Line” is a little bit on the rhymey-side of things for my own personal taste, but I never felt like it was so overboard that I’d stop listening – everything else surrounding that aspect of the song is way too good! Besides…I’d still be the first person to tell you that the rhyme scheme works really well in their favor when it comes to accessibility and creating music that’ll reach the masses, because that’s the truth – “Cross The Line” is smartly designed to deliver what people love to sing along with in that respect. It sounds real damn good, going from a nearly Beatles-esque beginning into blossoming quickly into a perfectly controlled, smooth collage of mixed emotions…and I suspect that the shift they make in between their verse & chorus is definitely going to be something that Betweenzone fans will truly love.
Success on both fronts if you ask me – I really dig both of these tunes, and I’m very excited about the direction that Betweenzone is heading in if this is what it is. Keep up the incredible work my friends!
Find out more about Betweenzone at their official page at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweenzone
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