Syre & Fresko – EP Reviews (Selection of 3)

REVIEW 1

http://slowshow.buzznet.com/user/journal/20898020/review-syre-fresko-gonna-see/

Syre & Fresko have outdone themselves with their new EP titled Gonna See Miracles. I was immediately drawn to the record from the first single, the title track, “Gonna See Miracles.” With all critical acclaim and accolades behind, Syre & Fresko are able to stand firmly on the ground and hold themselves high. The impeccable duo are from Australia, which already provides a sense of mystery to me. There is always something special about the great down under. The group often draws comparison to acts like Chairlift and Florence and the Machine, but in my opinion, they outshine both in this killer EP.

“Broken Fragments,” begins the short but epic EP. Syre & Fresko (I’m not sure who is who to be honest), bring to life the power of rock with their deep and gloomy vocals. I wouldn’t say in a goth way, but definitely in a way that shakes you to your core. A darkness filled with harmony. “Gonna See Miracles” lightens the mood a bit and the band proves to be out with a mission. The two have a stunning harmony to them, which is interesting and very mystical. “Ruth,” is a slowburner on the record and is quite different from the rest. The band brings out their soft side, and to be honest, they don’t even sound like the same band within this record. For what it is worth though, they pull of this poppy-folk sound without a hitch. “Tightrope,” is a very 80s song to me, and who doesn’t love that? I don’t know how this band isn’t bigger than they already are. There are some diva vocals in there that surprise me and than some. The record shuts down with “Plastic Dreams,” a song that takes the best elements of the record (which is most all) and brings it home. Syre & Fresko; they’re new, they’re fresh, and I want to know more.

REVIEW 2)

http://goodvibesmusicreviews.com/2014/11/syre_fresko_ep_review/

Australian husband-wife duo Syre & Fresko has done great things with their debut release. With a perfect mix between alternative rock and folk, their introduction release is a five-song EP that covers all the bases.

From the harder hitting “Broken Fragments” to the delicate “Ruth,” these two musicians cover a great deal of musical ground in just a few songs. “Broken Fragments” focuses on electric guitar, an aspect that points it in the heaviest direction the EP sees, making it an ultimately alternative rock track. Though the guitar plays a strong role here, the other key player in their work is the keyboard, which can be heard most clearly in “Tightrope” and “Plastic Dreams.”

Though they might not be the first male-female duo to grace the musical stage, they still manage to provide something fresh. His warm vocals combined with her airy, succulent tones bring to mind the Grammy Award winning folk duo The Civil Wars. Syre & Fresko, however, are an actual married couple, which allows them a stronger honesty and candor to their tracks. The bond they portray throughout their music is so sincere it’s as if they’re letting listeners in on a private conversation between the two of them.

“Ruth” was written while imagining what life would be like if one part of the husband-wife duo were to pass away while the other was still living. “What could be worse than this – waking without your kiss – when I should be by your side all the day long,” Syre asks wistfully.

The female half of this duo takes the reins on “Tightrope.” This track is completely different than the three we’ve witnessed before it, not only because this is the first time we see Fresko in all her glory, but also because it slows down the pace of the album in a striking way. She holds such a power behind her vocals, and the result is a beautifully delicate and rewardingly lush track.

I wouldn’t be providing you with a full picture of the duo, however, if I failed to mention the spiritual ties of their work. “Gonna See Miracles” is bubbling full of spiritual suggestions, and “Ruth” touches on the subject as well since the duo sings so intimately about death.

This duo is a powerhouse of talent; that fact shines through on every track. Since they’ve been able to do so much within only five songs, it’s only natural to wander what these two can pull off on a full-length album. What’s next, Syre & Fresko? We can’t wait to hear.

Review by Alec Cunningham

REVIEW 3)

CHE MUSIC REVIEWS

http://chemusicreviews.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/syre-fresko-gonna-see-miracles-ep-review/

Gonna See Miracles opens with “Broken Fragments”, a very strong song and a statement to the kind of sound the duo makes; I don’t know if it’s because they are real life husband and wife but they work in a tandem rarely seen, much less done this well. The song builds and builds before hurtling towards the uber satisfying conclusion. There are so many agreeable elements at play here it’s near impossible to determine what exactly it is that makes this song so complete but that essence, that grippingly sure-footed identity, is so rich that it hits you in the chest going full force. I absolutely loved the melodies and harmonies used because atop the raging guitar work and drums this musical tour de force just catapults the expectations for the rest of this EP to levels that shouldn’t be for anyone’s debut—I was that enthused. The eponymously named “Gonna See Miracles” is up next, and the change ups here are crazy to me; the energy tumbles and flows and then just as you think you have it down, it rips your understanding completely out of context. The drumming here is exceptional and two fold shows the range of the pair as they nimbly dance among both key and tempo fluctuations.

“Plastic Dreams” opens up with a stop-go motion before diving headfirst into a charging mid-tempo ode to knowing oneself better. The back and forth flow of the song is a little off-putting in contrast the chorus (at least that’s how I felt in the beginning) that’s a bit more conventional. That doesn’t detract once you understand how the song is constructed. The feel is very Top 40 and I can imagine fans chanting along with Syre & Fresko as they belt out the words. I find that bands that incorporate other elements than those found in the traditional load out are often able to tap into an almost alternate plane of existence and “Ruth” is no exception as it felt influenced by Country and Bluegrass while still retaining much of what made the three prior songs great. They obviously know how to get the most out of their sound and being able to stretch outside of themselves to make a song like this shows that they aren’t a one trick pony.

“Tightrope”, the final song on Gonna See Miracles, is softer and gentler and incredible because it fits in the realm of an Industrial remix of an Alicia Keys song; it’s amazing that you never put the elements together like this until someone does it and you wonder why it hasn’t happened sooner. There’s so much soul bared here that by the end I honestly wondered if there wasn’t anything the duo couldn’t do. Overall, I must say that Gonna See Miracles has found itself in my top 5 indie albums of the year and deservingly so due to the overwhelmingly professional sound coming from every instrument—even the human ones—to craft a beautiful, wonderful piece of music that begs to be shared. Not only did they get it right the first time, they pushed the bar with Herculean effort. Good show, you two, good show.