Album Review - CTRL

Dean Ford's debut CTRL is a collection of electronic rock tracks that make for a great entry into the music scene. With dark vocals that summon thoughts of Adam Lambert such as "Face The Crowd" and "Follow My Lead" to wailing into the microphone with all his heart like Frankmusik, Dean is making his mark by taking the best components of what we have on the pop scene and combining them into one hot, albeit brief, experience.

The lead single "It's The Feeling" is a good up beat vibe song which is a good mix of alternative and new wave pop styles. This song in particular was what drew me into the artist in the first place, and is really what I recommend for those who want to get a good introduction to just who this artist is. The lyrics in all of the songs may not be the strong point, but the vocals are always solid and the beats are a fresh breath in the current state of pop music. To bring it back to the song title, it really is "the feeling".

A personal favorite of mine falls into the same category. "Face The Crowd" may not astonish you lyrically, but vocally is a whole different story, creating a dark and sexy atmosphere for everyone to party in.

That's not to say that all of his lyrics are unimpressive. "You Had Me" draws more emotions out in the listeners, drawing from a personal intense love from his past. Realatbility is a huge factor in getting people to like your music, and the story of this song is just general enough to have a large appeal while remaining independant enough to not be blended into the mix of love songs you hear from every other artist on the scene.

"High Wire", a slower song, was not something that caught me immediately, but after a few listens it really grew on me. I am notorious for writing songs off too quickly and not giving them a proper chance, but this go around I decided to really let it sink in. The slow down was a nice mix into it, keeping the album at a nice pace, and getting you ready for the big blow-out that is "Tempted".

Originally only intended to be six tracks, a special bonus was included in the digital release of the album entitled "Take It All". My immediate thought was that it sounded like it belonged in a video game (I am a nerd, folks) and it's uneven beat was quite entertaining for the ears. The core of the song seems to be drawn from the golden age of pop music in the 80s with a bit of the 90's sprinkled in to make it interesting.

This short romp through the mind of Dean Ford was definitely worth it. For only five dollars, you get to experience one of the most talented independent artists I have come across in a good while. It has left me desperate for more.