MP3 Drew Crawford - Inevitable Hypocrisy

Keyboard-driven rock, blazing solos, complex meters, soaring vocals, excellent musicianship, insightful lyrics, and a twenty-minute epic instrumental give this concept album a unique and refreshing sound.

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Progressive Rock, ROCK: Experimental Rock



Details:
Inevitable Hypocrisy is a concept album exploring the inner turmoil and turbulence of relationships and interdependence upon one another from multiple points of view. Featuring keyboard-driven rock with complex meters and soaring vocals, the two main characters espouse their (often conflicting) views on life and human interaction. The album includes a twenty-minute epic instrumental, Cloudmaker, which incorporates themes from the other tracks in a vein familiar to progressive rock fans and made popular by bands like Dream Theater, Yes, and Rush. The gritty, compelling, passion goes from furious, driving rhythms one minute to crystal-clear solo keyboard lines the next. Songs like "Welcome to The Oval" and "Ignite" show off the amazing technique of a classically-trained pianist.

The album's heartfelt lyrics raise questions about life, our place in society, and human interaction. It is easy to identify with the album's characters and their struggles, as they are constantly forced to re-evaluate the placement of their trust, and in doing so experience longing, brooding anger, happiness, and ultimately acceptance and peace. Inevitable Hypocrisy covers a very wide emotional spectrum and makes heavy use of musical themes and modes to establish character moods. The characters' lives conform to patterns that are easy to relate to, yet the unique examples and situations encountered by the characters have caught many listeners off-guard.

The album's sound and instrumentation are truly unique. Featuring mellow pianos, vintage keyboards, driving drums, powerful synth leads and warm pads, it also makes use of instruments rarely-heard in progressive rock, including both sampled saxophone and violin solos as well as a Hammond Model A organ, spoken word, and other nontraditional samples. The wonderfully warm yet clear pianos include a Yamaha C7 grand and a Steinway K upright, providing a brilliantly-clear sound that can only result from well over a decade of piano performance experience.

True to its progressive rock roots, Inevitable Hypocrisy showcases a complex writing style involving rapid key and meter changes, key-blazing solos that would make Jordan Rudess envious, recurring musical themes, unique chord structures, and tight lyrical/musical integration. Characters recycle melodies and lyrics from each other, demonstrating differing thoughts and perspectives on common issues. Themes recur throughout the album in different keys, modes, and meters, and tight integration of musical composition allows these rapid transitions to flow easily and naturally.

Inevitable Hypocrisy provides a refreshing new sound that is accessible (most notably "Ready For Tomorrow" and "Less"), yet incredibly deep and complex. It explores our inmost thoughts and is unafraid to say out loud the things we often only dare to think in our heads.

Drew Crawford has just graduated high school, and is a classically-trained keyboardist and vocalist. He will be attending college in Longview, Texas and is looking for a band that can handle the complex, challenging music he wants to play. He enjoys composing music for short films and owns his own computer repair business. Drew is a three-year member of the Oklahoma All-State Choir, an honor granted to less than twenty graduating seniors statewide, and this is his first published album.