World Color – World Color
World Color – World Color – EP Review
This is a completely gorgeous combination of talent. The way World Color has started off their self-titled EP couldn’t possibly be a sweeter introduction; the opening tune “The Mighty Hero” is a fresh sounding, electro-acoustic pairing that sounds bright, bold and new to the ears as their smooth sounds invade your brain for the first time. Absolutely intense and genuinely emotional vocals one this first introduction into the World Color sound…kind of like Styrofoam meets James Taylor. At least I think I’m thinking it’s James Taylor they’re reminding me of…did he do the opening tune in Midnight Cowboy? Not the actual song Midnight Cowboy…but the other song…you know…
Argh…okay…gotta look that up. Sorry World Color…just hang tight for a moment…
Okay! So! Rather than delete a whole ton of what I just said…let’s just substitute that whole James Taylor thing for Harry Nilsson, who apparently even won a Grammy award for the song I was thinking about, “Everybody’s Talkin,’” which was written by Fred Neil. Alright – so…yeah…okay…I feel a little bit better now that I’ve at least supplied a little knowledge in this review and haven’t completely wasted your time – but YES – that’s the song that reminds me of the opening to the World Color EP.
And after all that stretching and reaching for comparison, it’s a loose thread that would tie these two together at best; World Color is certainly doing something different than whatever you’d find on that old pre-seventies soundtrack of Midnight Cowboy. “The Mighty Hero” is truly a beautiful song…it really sounds innocent and full of the wonder & magic that makes us fall in love with a moment in time…the kind of moment that your memory takes a snapshot of, and the next time you hear the music of World Color you’ll snap back to the beautiful pictures of that moment in your mind. It sounds inspirational, full of hope and genuine WANT to communicate through authentic, pleading emotion; it’s a massively effective and powerful opening – and at more than eight minutes long really goes a long way to define the sound of World Color.
…or so you might think…
It’s a large switch to a more rock-influenced pop-sound on the following track “OK Cupid,” and this vocally-creative track really makes me want to take a moment to talk to my Canadian brethren for just a moment here…C’mon in Canadians, take a knee…gather close…
…and now go listen to the chorus on “OK Cupid” and ask yourself if that isn’t something we might expect from our own Gordon Downie? I love how the lead vocals, presumably from Brian Jones (Guitars, Vocals), find a really creative chorus in amongst a more standard style of music and verse. As the song begins, you might think I’m off my nut, as he sounds a little closer to another Canadian, Ed Robertson – but at the end of the day, even though the verses are nailed tightly by the singer & the band, it’s the chorus that really makes “OK Cupid” shine like it does. They use it smartly as well…in this three-and-a-half minute song, it really only pops up a small handful of times which makes you want to come back and get MORE of it over and over and over…or at least that’s what it’s doing on this side of the screen!
“Into My Heart” carries a ton of sweet-sentiment in the lyrics and it all matches the beautiful energy in this song. The shortest track on the EP at less than three minutes in length, World Color makes a massive impact with a bright & melodic track full of gorgeous harmonies. John Ray continues to impress through his well-timed bass, as does Maury Haymore on the drums…the rhythm section of the band, including the cello from Evan Richey all make itself well-known on “Into My Heart” with a fantastic blend of all their talents combining perfectly onto this sweet song.
The final cut on the EP, “These Moments” take the band into a jazzy atmosphere through the verse before World Color finds their way back to their pop-roots in the chorus. It rolls along smoothly like a John Mayer or Jason Mraz tune, easy to fall in love with the hooks in this song and I love how the lead vocals often fade back into the harmonies. Excellent cello solo from Evan Richey…if anything I might like to hear World Color find a way to bring in that sound even more in the music to come in the future; the addition of cello really stands out as a unique element and ties this final song together fantastically.
What I can tell you after having listened several times myself, is that the opening tune “The Mighty Hero” is but one side and dimension of the overall sound of World Color. By the time you hit the final sweet tones and notes of “These Moments” you’ve journeyed through four really unique ideas, sounds and songs with a lot of talent highlighting each and every second that ticks by. With a cohesive element provided by the vocals and song-writing…World Color has come out swinging for the fence on this self-titled EP – and I think they’ve hit a home run.
Join the thousands of bands & artists reviewed at sleepingbagstudios by clicking here!
