Ultratone – “A Dream”

Ultratone – “A Dream” – Single Review

I think…I think that the more I listen to “A Dream” the more I want to give this song a huge thumbs-up.

I also think that this single is going to have the same effect on you…consider yourself warned.

This band is incredibly dialed-in to their vibe at this point, clearly.  Ultratone has just put out their fifth official record at the beginning of June, called Mellow, and it’s safe to say that if this single is any indication of what we might find on the full album, well…then I want in on this.  “A Dream” is just about as tight as a melody can possibly be – the energy & skill this band puts forth is absolutely right on target.

There’s definitely lots working in their favor here, but ultimately, it comes down to great songwriting and some truly brilliant choices as to how to go about their approach to the performance to support it.  What I really loved is the fact that, “A Dream” is ultimately very friendly, gentle, and chilled-out at its very core – but the way that Ultratone takes this song on & play it…it’s like no one told them how tender this tune really is!  The result is seriously compelling to listen to – instead of the laidback attitude & atmosphere that this song likely could have slipped into, Ultratone makes pure magic happen here by making the music incredibly lively & vibrant surrounding them…dare I say, almost bombastically Pop!  The beat is huge, the melodies are bold, the harmonies & vocals combine the sweetest of sounds, the bass-lines thump along in the rhythm section, and there’s like…gotta be a banjo in there too somewhere right?  If you read about Ultratone online, you’ll know that there could virtually be any instrument ready to pop-up in the mix at any time through their revolving open-door policy that sees the band quite often inviting new players and good friends into their adventures.  Then of course there’s the extra layers of like, string sounds & keyboards subtly nestled in there…it’s actually quite remarkable that what appears to be such a distinct song of audible cotton candy at first on the surface runs so impressively deep once you start to pull back the layers of this tune.  For real – what’s not to like or love here people?

I’ll put it to you this way…if there was an award for ‘easiest to like’ or ‘quickest positive first impression’ – this would be the kind of hardware that Ultratone would completely walk away with without any competition.  While I haven’t heard the rest of the new album Mellow yet – a single as strong as “A Dream” definitely makes the rest of the record seem more than tempting…more like essential if I’m gonna get through the week somehow.  Music is my vitamins…this single has been like a full dose of medicine for the soul.

The good kind…we’re not talking Buckleys Mixture here (though YES it works, I get it, I get it)…”A Dream” goes down much smoother, I assure you.

I fail to hear what more Ultratone could have possibly done on this tune to make it any better than it already is – I really think this song is spectacular, and basically, it’s all-hooks at all-times.  The guitar solo is even strong & sweet enough to convince people that don’t like solos that they love what’s happening here, believe me.  For myself, I kept coming back to the stunning vocal melody, rhythm, & flow of “A Dream” – to me, that’s just about as good as it can get and its delivered to a shiny & flawless perfection.  Lyrically, it’s just as aces, loaded with that indie-like sincerity and gorgeous imagery in the words that describes the scenes so innocently, humbly, and honestly…”A Dream” might be on the sweeter-side of what songs can be when it comes to the overall sound – but you’ll be surprised at just how real this whole set of emotions, thoughts, & feelings becomes.  I’m really nothing but impressed with this entire tune and already feel like I’ve played it over a hundred spins in the short amount of time I’ve had it for.

But perhaps the best thing about “A Dream” is the fact that I could easily go a hundred more, right here, right now, and I doubt I’d ever get tired of listening to this song.  As heavy as the lyrics can get at times with the weight of the emotions running through the song, the vibe remains incredibly fresh and entirely uplifting…contrast like this, layers that run this deep in the concept & musicianship, timeless melody like they’ve got on display…it all adds up to writing & sound that really lasts.  Ultratone nailed this 100%.

Find out more about Ultratone at their official website at:  http://ultratoneonline.com

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