Deer Park Avenue is Sarah and Stephanie Snyder originally from Long Island, now residing in the Sacramento, California.
Deer Park Avenue is a rock band that has a sound that fits somewhere in between Green Day, Collective Soul, and Paramore. Unlike a lot of indie bands that tend to sound like everyone else and feel repetitive, Deer Park Avenue’s edgy pop rock sound keeps it light and fun, and they stay away from the category of drab and dull.
City Streets was Deer Park Avenue’s debut EP. It has four tracks including the song, “Over Again” which is their first popular song. The song was featured on Good Day Sacramento and featured on several radio stations and webzine’s across the U.S. and Europe. This song has gained them so much momentum, it set the stage for their second album, “Stop & Go”, which is due to be released to the public at the end of Summer 2011.
My review: Having heard, “Darkness Hides Me” from their new album, “Stop & Go”, I immediately wanted a feature with the band. “Darkness Hides Me” is simply put, an awesome song. It became one of my all time favorite tracks, not only because it fit my personal taste, but also for its structured elements. The entire layout of the song is perfect. The interlude, the hook, chorus, and lyrics together constructed the perfect song. Could this song make it to number 1 on the Billboard charts? Most definitely. The interlude is what catches your attention, with a simple drum intro followed with a soft acoustic break in. Within 20 seconds, when it finally transitions into the melodic key with the first verse, you are already on the hook. Songs that have made it to the top 10 all throughout music history have had this element. “Darkness Hides Me” has it and I am only referring to the first 20 seconds. The rest of the song is just as good and only continues to get better. The only part I disliked was that it ended.
Having build up such a high expectation, I of course wanted more of what I just heard and wanted nothing less then just as flavorful and exciting music. The second song I listen to was “Over Again” from their City Streets EP. The song was remastered and there isn’t much to notice by the naked ear except to say it’s clearer and fuller at a higher volume. I loved this song equally, but for different reasons. Unlike “Darkness Hide Me”, where there seemed to be no outside influence ,”Over Again” had a lot of outside influence from other bands. This song is where I heard some of Green Day, perhaps The Go Go’s, and The Bangles. While it may sound like a disappointment, it’s still a rather catchy and fun song. It’s one of those rare rock songs you want to get up and dance to.
The third song is “Hey Maria”. Here’s another song that is heavily influenced. I wasn’t crazy with the interlude, because it sounded like an 80’s song (which I love by-the-way), but the hook came quickly and saved it. Overall, the song missed on a lot of qualities that could potentially make it a hit, but it’s not bad. There are subtle breaks in the song that give it some individuality and personal identity, otherwise it’s just a good song if you’re one of those hardcore DPA fans.
The fourth song is “Millionaire”. It starts off with another drum solo, but this time heavier than “Darkness Hides Me”, and then it follows up with a electric guitar solo by Sarah. As she sings, her voice sounds like she’s singing on a vintage microphone. This lasts for only a few seconds, but it gives the song some character. After listening to the lyrics, I realized the song isn’t about being a “Millionaire” so much, but maybe the relationship turned sour was with a person who became a millionaire. Trying to listen to the meaning and I found myself pulled into the song.
Stop & Go is a great new EP and it shows that Sarah and Stephanie are continuing to grow, especially since their first EP, City Streets. Although, “Darkness Hides Me” is their best song and it seemed to ruin the rest of their music for me, I never turned off their music. They have a great quality that is worth listening to.
Listen to my one-on-one interview with Sarah and Stephanie Snyder on The Great Unknowns Presents, presented to you live on location in Basal, Switzerland.
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