29th July, 2009

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album: Chorus Of The Saints

Artist: Revive

Year: 2009
Label: Essential/Sony
Web: www.myspace.com/reviveband

In A Word: Aussie!

"It's always great to see Aussies taking big risks with their music and see it pay off this way. Hopefully the boys can make a mark on the US with this very solid debut..."

OK, so a group of blokes in Sydney start a band, play some high schools, some youth groups and a few festivals...and then they do a tour of the country opening for Third Day.

Next thing, Mac Powell says, "Let's get together and do some song-writing". "OK" say the boys from Sydney. Then Mac asks "How about opening for the band on the US tour?". The band says "OK" and there you have it, the next Aussie band to head Stateside to play rock 'n roll.

Chorus Of The Saints, the opening cut, is a definite sing-along stadium tune. There are Eighties studio rock sounds that reference Whiteheart and riff-driven Nineties rock that sing comfortably through 2009 stereos. When your debut international album is co-produced by your band sitting alongside Mac Powell and Don McCollister, you've got yourself a great start.

Somewhere between congregational worship and pub rock Revive deliver positive tunes like Can't Change Yesterday, You're All I Need and the fun shuffle of Don't Look Anywhere Else - “Don't look anywhere else for life / don't look anywhere else for meaning / There's nowhere else to find / your peace of mind / 'Cause I'm all you need / and I'm all yours” - complete with obligatory woo-oh shout-outs.

It's always great to see Aussies taking big risks with their music and see it pay off this way. Hopefully the boys can make a mark on the US with this very solid debut and we'll see them back on our shores followed by a legion of fans...including the one that has had a numberplate made with the word 'Reviver'! Yep, only in America. Onya boys.