rock for rock's sake
Tower, from Louisville's 40 Watt Station, is an album that could be so much more than it is. The pieces seem to be in the right places, but do not fit together consistently enough to make this record better.
Things start out extremely well with the rocking "Gotta Get Away," a pseudo-grunge ode to severing relational ties that is driven by Drew Perkins' tight lead guitar and the in-sync rhythms of bassist Scott Nelson and drummer Kenny Marine. "Alright," a hoppin' little jam, has the same qualities.
Unfortunately, it's also the best 40 Watt Station has to offer here. The backslide can be seen in the second song, "Mr. Winceworth." The concrete songwriting and performance all but disappear, giving way to more moody, meandering songs that lack the creativity and hook of "Gotta Get Away." Perkins' voice loses its edge and becomes monotonous.
You get the feeling from listening to "Tower" that mass appeal is not 40 Watt Station's ultimate goal. That's cool, and as long as they are happy with their work, then what everyone else thinks probably does not matter much. I'm sure there are musical tastes that "Tower" would suit, but mine is not one of them.