Self-released, 2009
8/10
This hard rock outfit seemed to disappear from sight after putting out a couple quality albums filled with made-for-radio rock. Back in October the band announced their intentions to release future material for free through their website, www.earshotband.com, and “The Ugly Truth” is the first song to be released in this manner. This song is what you would expect Earshot to deliver – a heavy, mid-tempo rock song that could easily be played on any rock radio station. Earshot has a knack for writing catchy, tuneful songs, and “The Ugly Truth” continues this track record. It’s not going to change the world, but it’s hard not to enjoy this song. The distinctive vocal stylings of Wil Martin have always been the most compelling feature of Earshot’s sound, so it’s great to hear his voice still in fine form. If you can appreciate bands like Sevendust, Staind, and Stone Temple Pilots, you can’t go wrong here. Getting this song is simple – go to the band’s website, sign up for their email list, and you get an email with a link to the song. As a nice bonus, the download includes a lyric sheet, artwork, desktop wallpapers, and mp3 and iPhone-compatible ringtones. The band promises that new music will be available in this manner every two or three months. I admire Earshot for taking this bold step in distributing their music (similar to what Smashing Pumpkins is now doing), but I suspect they’ll have a hard time getting their new music on the radio now that they lack major label muscle.
