Cicada Sunrise

Organic Damage (self-released)

facebook.com/cicadasunrise

Led by singer-guitarist Devin Taylor, this local ensemble attempts to marry a few different genres on its new album. It’s a noble effort and the guys don’t sound like any other local act, but the results are rather mixed. Album opener “The First Stone” begins with cooing vocals that make it sound a bit like a gospel number. Eventually, the punk rock guitars kick in, but the transition is a rough one, and the song comes to a rather abrupt end. The shimmering “Daredevil” sounds like something by a mellower Living Colour but the hushed vocals just don’t resonate. There are a few highlights. The moody, prog-inspired “Five Times Fast” successfully pulls off the loud-to-quiet trick; with its swirling synths and soulful vocals, “No Corners” fares better and is easily the best track on this uneven album.

Cicada Sunrise performs with Purveyors of Fiction, Titans in Time, Colors and Days Beneath at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Grog Shop..

This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2014.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.