Crown Point - "Wolves" Review - ROCKSPOSURE.....Be Heard

Artist of the Month


"Wolves" Album Review

Article By Chris Brach

Portland, OR is as tranquil and serene a place as you’ll find anywhere in the country, and their own Crown Point has the perfect soundtrack to accompany the aura that is the Pacific Northwest. Formed in 2009, Crown Point has put in a massive effort as they toured extensively over the last two years on stints that including two separate National tours.  Their identity is tied closely to touring.  Jon Davidson (vocals/guitar), Russell Stafford (vocals/guitar), Peter Arvidson  (bass), and Kaycee Kay (drums) hit the road for 2010’s SXSW almost immediately after forming the band.  They’ve been pounding the pavement ever since.  But as 2012 begins, they’ve got their sights set on supporting their debut EP “Wolves” through any means necessary.

Somber yet optimistic, the tone of Crown Point’s music feels familiar and determined as they work through “Wolves”.  The longing lyrics of “Back to You” ease you into the EP as Davidson tries to croon his lost love back for one more chance.  The melody of the opener is catchy and well polished.  As Crown Point moves into the title track, the band maintains a similar underlying lyrical theme but employ a more metaphorical approach. “The Princess sleeps with the wolves,” as Davidson and Stafford harmonize the looming, unavoidable turmoil that will inevitably unfold within the forbidden arrangement.  The vocals and harmonizing on this track are remarkably clean and backed by some excellent guitar accompaniment.

Things begin to pick up the pace and forcefulness on “Lethel Dose” and “Easier Said Than Done”.  “Lethel Dose” handily takes the honors as the hardest rocking song on the EP as Kay gets a chance to throw down on his kit at full throttle for a few minutes.  “Easier Said Than Done” does an excellent job progressing from its slow start into its driving middle chorus, then ultimately slows down to the pace that it started.  This slight change in tempo breaks the song up nicely and gives it just the right amount of attitude to make it more than your average ballad.

The band closes the EP with the acoustic, vocal showcase “Disappear”. “Show me something to believe in, because all I have, all we have is gone....”  While a great lyric, in the big picture nothing could be farther from the truth for the band and their “Wolves” EP.  Yes Crown Point is pop rock if you group them by their musical style, but their delivery and the sincerity of their message is far from anything the fake world of pop music claims today.  “Wolves” is the exact opposite of the message in “Disappear”, in fact if anything I think it gives us a reason to believe in the world of pop music.

"Wolves" is available now, click here to purchase