Trouble and Daughter – EP

Trouble and Daughter’s name grabbed me from the beginning. One part comic book duo, one part Vegas act, all parts awesome. They attempt to live up to their namesake with pure enthusiasm and a barrage of sweet melodies and harmonies. They’re electric. They’re bombastic. They’re young, fresh, hip to the bone. But do they succeed?

Like any great serial that I feel a duo called Trouble and Daughter would be a part of, at the end of the episode the fearless pair find that they’re hanging perilously at the edge of a cliff, dangling precariously over a life threatening drop as the curtains close until next time…in a classic Chevy Impala, metaphorically speaking.

Trouble and Daughter are good, but I cannot help but feeling that they walk a sharp line between being good, fun, and honest, and being a tad bit overproduced and a touch bit too showy. They walk the line well as balancing acts go. Each track begins with a specialized sense of gravitas, the first song “What’s Good is Gone,” is the best example. The song has you tapping your foot and bobbing your head right away with the piano foreshadowing the melody and laying down an underlying chord structure with momentum. When the vocals and guitar come in, well, this time their driving that Chevy Impala down a lonely desert road into the sunset; it mixes well.

Every song has the same bold, catchy sound mixing, but not every song accentuates it. There often seems to be a bit more “Daughter” than “Trouble” in their music, the emphasis being placed on sing-songy vocals and gushy lyrics. “What’s Good is Gone” is a solid song, balanced instrumentally, rythmically, and vocally, but the shift comes with the second song, “More Than Looks.” The convivial atmosphere can be fun, but it can taint the overall vibe, too; suddenly the music ends up being cute more so than good.

“All Mine” pretty much picks up where “More Than Looks” left off, maybe slighty too cute for its own good. The next track,”Gimme All Your Money,” is by far the strangest on the EP. While the other songs are about the kind of relationships people get into, and the emotions people have living in this world–you know, standard stuff for the kind of sound this band has–this song is apparently about exactly what the title suggests. It’s essentially gangsta rap turned Glee.

We’re back on track in the metaphorical Impala with the last song, “The Lucky Ones.” This song has a nice 50s groove going on, with the countdown at the beginning and everything, and is my favorite after “What’s Good is Gone.”

Whatever my taste as far as their style and lyrics, Trouble and Daughter’s singers sure have some lungs on them. Every phrase is belted out beautifully, and the two singers trade verses acrobatically. Every note is on pitch and clear as crystal.

So will Trouble and Daughter escape their brush with disaster, and ride off to safety and fortune? As the curtains close for this EP, we’ll have to wait until next time to find out.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Album Name: EP
Release Date: July, 2012
Genre(s): folk/pop/rock
Location: Toronto, Canada
Members: James Mascola, Jenni Pleau, John Doherty
Website: http://www.troubleanddaughter.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/troubleanddaughter
Bandcamp: http://www.troubleanddaughter.bandcamp.com

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