Flashback CD Review #16 - Antigone Rising - From The Ground Up

This review was originally written for the Rock Is Life.com website in 2005. (2011 Update: My review mentions that the album is only available through Starbucks but that changed soon after the review originall went up online as it was released to the mass market. The album finished at #5 on my best of 2005 list.)

Antigone Rising

From The Ground Up

Lava Records - 2005

http://www.antigonerising.com

What's The 4-1-1?

The first release under the "Hear Music" program through coffee makers Starbucks, Antigone Rising is an all-female quintet from the New York area. The album is their major label debut.

Genre

Rock

The Good

Wow! It may be a risky thing to make your major label debut CD a live recording, but after years of honing their live sound through endless touring, Antigone Rising meets the challenge. The band's sound is acoustic based, but don't let that description fool you, the band can rock! They've got a powerful vocalist in the singularly named Cassidy. Cathy and Kristen Henderson handle the guitar work and the rhythm section of bassist Jen Zielenbach and drummer Dena Tauriello from an amazingly tight group of musicians. The music feels like quite a fresh spin on the 70's rock songwriting.

Two songs in particular are vocal showcases for Cassidy. The first is "Longshot" which is described as a song "about a one night stand that lasted five days". The other is the track "She Lived Here". This is where she sounds most reminiscent of Janis Joplin to this reviewer's ears. Now I mention those songs in regards to the lead vocals, but there isn't a single mis-step on this album. The closest criticism I can come to about the material is the piano based ballad "Open Hearts and Doors" feels a bit too slow for my liking. The song is still pretty darn good though.

One thing I liked about the CD booklet is that there is something said about the origins of each of the songs on the disc. Personally, I like that extra little bit of information. Kristen Henderson can write some real emotion-filled songs. The song "Michael" is about a close friend of hers that died and she really makes you feel how his passing affected her. I really enjoyed the Spanish guitar work on "Rosita" as well. The first single "Don't Look Back" is great. A couple of other songs that will knock your socks off are "Better" and "You're The Reason". I would venture to say that "You're The Reason" and the aforementioned "Longshot" are my own personal favorites.

The Bad

Other than the fact that the album is only available through Starbucks and online, there's nothing wrong with this album.

The Verdict

I hate to give credit to Starbucks for anything, but I'll have to swallow my indignation about them and say that they chose an absolutely fantastic band and album to put out as the debut release under their "Hear Music" program.

Antigone Rising's From The Ground Up is a gem of an album and one of the most sublimely cool albums of the year.

Did You Know?

Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas co-wrote two songs with the band including the single "Don't Look Back". From The Ground Up was recorded live at Sony Music Studios in front of a studio audience made up of the band's family and friends. Among notable fans of the band are Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Sheryl Crow and Little Steven from The E Street Band.

RATING: 5 out of 5