The Restless - Insomniac

The Restless

Insomniac
self-released; 2015

3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The tags at the bottom of the Bandcamp page (inspirational, emotional, uplifting) are almost all you really need to know about the EP Insomniac from The Restless. If you have heard The Fray or Coldplay you should get an idea of what type of music these guys play. The band is barely half-a-year old and although their three-song EP contains good performances and well-written songs it reinforces their stage of development. 

At this point the type of inspirational rock that Coldplay and The Fray has inspired in countless of other bands and The Restless is another band you can add to the list. Don’t get me wrong, the band is good and one song is exceptional (more on that later) but the fact remains that the emergence of this type of music is ubiquitous and if you don’t have something distinct about your sound you most likely will be grouped in with a surplus of above average bands. 

The reality is for a band that has been around for about half a year they have plenty of time to find their niche as long as they are willing to get out of their comfort zone and not be afraid to experiment.

The EP starts with “Nature Of The Heart” which is predictable but enjoyable. The bass line especially during the verse was effective and the chorus explodes in a grandiose way. Out of the three songs “Nature of The Heart” was the most commercially viable for a large demographic. Was it me for did the second song “Surprise” seem too fast at times? The chorus worked just fine but the verse seemed like it would have been more effective at a slower BPM. 

The band’s finest moments come on the last song “Seam.” It’s atmospheric and relies on orchestral strings, a stellar vocal performance and piano. The subdued melancholy mixed with the hints of hope was a great combo. 

The Restless are a band to keep your eyes on and are off to a promising start. If they can establish more of an original sound on the fringe of what is mainstream they will more than likely have a better chance of getting a larger fan base.

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