Spring Break
The Safes' brothers offer fun new album
Corey Hennigan
Issue date: 9/26/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE
The Safes are one of those bands that grows on its listeners. Even if you don't like it the first time, the band is worth a second or third listen.
The group's new EP, "Sight of All Light," is alternative rock at its best.
According to its MySpace page, The Safes is a Chicago-based band formed in 2003 by Frankie, Michael and Patrick O'Malley, three brothers who got their love of music from their father, musician Frank O'Malley. All three have played in bands, together and separately, since childhood.
Although not the first sibling band in music history, these guys take a much more hands-on approach to their music than most popular acts these days. Besides singing, playing instruments and writing their own music, all three brothers had key roles in making the album. Frankie O'Malley produced the album, Patrick O'Malley assisted in engineering the record and Michael O'Malley did photography for the album sleeve.
Although it's only five tracks, its fun, catchy rock songs drive the album. Frenzied guitars, pounding drums and entertaining lyrics propel each song.
The band has released four albums so far, two EPs and two full-length albums.
The interesting thing about these guys is that they sound more and more like the Smashing Pumpkins with each song, as if Billy Corgan were exerting a little more influence over each song written for the album.
While a press release suggested that songs like "Sight of All Light" and "The Sky is Falling" were the best of the album, each track offers something different and is capable of standing on its own.
The one downside to this album is that the songs are short. Each song is great, but by the time the listener can really get into the song, it's over.
Tour dates and samples from the album can be found at MySpace.com/thesafesmusic.
The group's new EP, "Sight of All Light," is alternative rock at its best.
According to its MySpace page, The Safes is a Chicago-based band formed in 2003 by Frankie, Michael and Patrick O'Malley, three brothers who got their love of music from their father, musician Frank O'Malley. All three have played in bands, together and separately, since childhood.
Although not the first sibling band in music history, these guys take a much more hands-on approach to their music than most popular acts these days. Besides singing, playing instruments and writing their own music, all three brothers had key roles in making the album. Frankie O'Malley produced the album, Patrick O'Malley assisted in engineering the record and Michael O'Malley did photography for the album sleeve.
Although it's only five tracks, its fun, catchy rock songs drive the album. Frenzied guitars, pounding drums and entertaining lyrics propel each song.
The band has released four albums so far, two EPs and two full-length albums.
The interesting thing about these guys is that they sound more and more like the Smashing Pumpkins with each song, as if Billy Corgan were exerting a little more influence over each song written for the album.
While a press release suggested that songs like "Sight of All Light" and "The Sky is Falling" were the best of the album, each track offers something different and is capable of standing on its own.
The one downside to this album is that the songs are short. Each song is great, but by the time the listener can really get into the song, it's over.
Tour dates and samples from the album can be found at MySpace.com/thesafesmusic.
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