Pioneer Gives The New Year Its First Solid Alternative Debut
Posted February 14, 2012
By JJFrancesco_NRT, Staff Reviewer
It’s still early in 2012, but already the year’s seen a solid debut from alternative rockers Pioneer. With a sound reminiscent of several other high-performing Christian rockers on the scene, Pioneer should have little trouble finding an audience with which to resonate.
“Lights” and “Treason” gave the album some early sonic rock goodness after the mellow-but-pleasant opener, “Clarity.” Both of these are enjoyable tracks that seem to be vying for some radio attention. “Reaching” and its instrumental lead-in “Mantua” provide moving and even slightly haunting balladry. All in all, the band seems to know how to balance between the softer and the more upbeat.
Lyrically, the band seems to have enough to say to make listeners take notice. “Catharsis” exclaims, “We are the blind leading the blind through the darkest of places.” In “Treason,” the band sings, “I can’t go back there again and commit myself to treason against my innocence.” Throughout, one notices a clear depth to the lyrics, which is a plus for setting the band apart. They may not speak to anything not already covered in pop/rock music, but they make their message relevant to the listener through a sincere delivery.
Closing Thoughts:
Pioneer offers a thoughtful and pleasant soft rock release that should keep them on the short-list of the better debuts of 2012. With sounds reminiscent of several other Christian rock acts currently populating the genre, Pioneer should fit right in. Hopefully, in future releases, they’ll be able to define their sound a little bit more, but for right now, this debut serves as an enjoyable introduction to what will hopefully be a long musical career. View All Music And Book Reviews By JJFrancesco_NRT | View JJFrancesco_NRT's Profile
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