Color Failure - Color Failure

Color Failure

​Color Failure
self-released; 2018

​3.8 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Color Failure is a band from Texas comprised of Brandon Maahs, Will Hughes, Isabella Hutto and Jaime Esposito. They released their self-titled debut Color Failure which is a pretty eclectic album. I was sometimes reminded of the band CHVRCHES because of the positive, synth rock and the lead singer who happens to sound similar to Lauren Mayberry.

​I really liked this album but there were some songs which felt like undeniable standouts to me. The opening song “Celadon Sky” is easily the most unique and inventive sounding song on the album especially the first two minutes. It’s very cinematic and they use unique percussive elements. The song is pretty epic and doesn't feel over the top.

The next song “Speak With the Sparks” felt a lot more predictable and familiar but still was quite good. They keep the energy up here. It’s basically a rock song with a couple of lead synths thrown in.

“Silent Movie Star” could be the pop single. It’s catchy but I was a lot more interested and taken by “Where the Love Begins” which plays with experimental, atmospheric soundscapes. The guitar “Interlude” didn’t really feel all that necessary. They got into a more organic rock sound with “Outlier.” They hit upon a clear highlight with “I Fell Into the Sea” which is the song that should be the single that sounds contemporary and catchy.

The band has more success with “Lionshare” and “Hypersomnia” which successfully melds electronic and rocks elements. “Panacea” has its moments but was almost too epic. I felt like it should have been playing while watching the movie Avatar.

This is a band with tons of talent but they also fell victim to a very familiar trap that tends to happen on debut efforts. The band is simply attempting too many styles to form a signature sound which is really vital early on. Far and away the band excels on the more electronic oriented tracks and I think they should continue to explore experimental approaches that you hear on ““Celadon Sky” and combining it with the more catchy melodies they have on “I Fell Into the Sea.” I think it would behoove the band to ditch the more straightforward rock songs all together.

Overall, when the band gets it right they really nail it and that is worth the price of admission. I wish them luck as they evolve and look forward to hearing their next move.

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