PAris Under Fire - sideshow

Paris Under Fire

Sideshow
self-released; 2014

3.6 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Tessah Melamed (vocals), Jorge Landauro (bass), Randy Adams (drums) and Matt Flanagan (guitar) make up the emo punk/rock band paris under fire. They recently released a very impressive six-song EP entitled Sideshow that showcases a talented band who has a good amount of potential. The music lies somewhere between Pretty Girls Make Graves and mid ’90s No Doubt. It’s a solid mix of pop and punk but not the pop/punk that a lot of people have become accustomed to in 2014. No nasally male singers here who sound exactly like one another. The band has created a palatable array of genres that builds a strong foundation of originality.

It is somewhat hip for punk and all sub-genres to skimp when it comes to production. This isn’t a norm when looking at marginally successful bands but when it comes to indie bands you see a lot of DIY. Paris under fire decided to go in the opposite direction by having it recorded at a professional studio and then having it mastered by none other than Alan Douches. Suffice it to say the recording is fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed the energy in the music and thought the vocals especially sounded stellar. 

Speaking of the vocals I thought that Melamed had a voice that fits so well with the music they were playing. She sings with conviction and has a pretty but aggressive voice that is able to adapt to the music. You want to hear one of her best performances just press play on “Stardust.” The vocal melodies she busts out get better and better. She lays down a number of hook-worthy melodies that make the song a clear highlight. Her vocals made it easy to look past the music, which wasn’t too shabby itself. All the players were on point here but I have to say that the lead guitar was smokin’ hot.

The band keeps the energy level up with “Best Of Me,” which is almost as catchy as the first song. Melamed sings about her dueling personality and staying up at night. The lyrics are a bit more clever than your average punk song. I mentioned No Doubt earlier and “Shake Me Down” implements ska in a similar way that reminded me of a young Gwen Stefani.

Paris under fire has found a nice balance between commercial appeal and hipster cred on Sideshow. The band has a lot of promise and I encourage you to check them out. 

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