Coming on strong from the word go,
September EP hits a little harder than Lift's previous release, Lifelike, all the while maintaining the head-bobbing melodies that make this band immediately likeable and familiar, but never trite or cliché. Sounding a bit like
Concrete Blonde in their Bloodletting days, Lift puts an intriguing female voice atop layers of musical textures created with only guitars, bass, and drums. Fans of
Aimee Mann's brand of smart, catchy pop/rock will quickly fall in love with Lift, and the first two tracks, "Even If (It Is Love)" and "Turn Away," could easily grace modern rock airwaves alongside bands like
Counting Crows,
Matchbox Twenty, and Train, adding a touch of feminine, but ever so rocking, energy amidst all that machismo. Singer/guitarist Molly Bancroft remains the driving force as the main songwriter, along with mainstay drummer Simone Simonton and new bassist Meimi Sato. Self-produced and released on their own Orangestar Records,
September EP displays a talented gang of gals worthy of a listen or two or three. ~ Kelly McCartney