Arts & Entertainment
 

Tantric sticks with same style

By Ian McDonald
The Daily Cougar

It took them three years, but post-grunge band Tantric (formerly Days Of The New) has finally given its fans a follow-up album. Since their adoption by Maverick Records in 1999, the Kentucky-born band has enjoyed much success and critical acclaim. Its self-titled debut, released in 2001, quickly went platinum by early 2002, and instantly boosted the band to superstar status in the rock community. Their new album, After We Go, is on shelves now and will likely be met with similar approval.

Unlike their first project, After We Go was not produced in Los Angeles but in Nashville, Tenn. Half of Tantric's members are family men, so chances are this move was made in order to remain closer to their hometown of Louisville, Ky. Bassist Jessie Vest admitted in a recent interview that rock albums are supposed to be recorded in L.A., but there were too many distractions there. After all, most of the band members are country boys anyway.

A unique blend of legendary influences works to compliment Tantric's music, including Alice In Chains, Rush and even John Denver. The band doesn't disappoint its fan base, remaining loyal to it's distinctive down-to-earth and slightly rough-around-the-edges style of rock. However, After We Go manages to tone down the hardcore elements fairly prevalent throughout their previous album and demonstrates a more laid-back theme.

Any true fan of Tantric will appreciate the band's decision to change the pace while not forgetting its post-grunge roots. In fact, the most foreseeable problem the average listener may justifiably gripe about is the unaltered tempo, which remains stubbornly stable throughout all 12 tracks. Listeners may grow weary of the invariable consistency, track after track after track -- the album isn't boring, but the production team may have been wise to throw in a few faster tunes to effectively contrast the slower majority.

"Alright" and the title track are the best examples of how melodic a naturally-gritty band like Tantric can get. Even "The Chain," a rendition of Fleetwood Mac's original, is performed with nothing lost, while adding an element of Tantric's southern design. "Before" and "Awake" especially take advantage of guitarist Todd Whitener's talent for creating addictive melodies during segments where vocals take a rest.

To put it simply, After We Go promotes a sit-back-and-relax-with-a-beer type of environment, whereas Tantric's first release is more of a crank-up-the-volume-and-drive-fast-down-the-freeway sort of album. No matter what your preference is, the band's well-recognized musical formula has remained unchanged over the years.

Tantric

After We Go

Maverick Records

The verdict: The bottom line is Tantric will always be Tantric, even though change is sometimes good. Long-time fans should definitely try this album.

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