On Approach

Ghost Notes found five singer/songwriters bringing their own individual tunes to the studio very shortly after forming, which made for a good listen that was somewhat void of cohesion. On Approach resonates with more personality and chemistry. It sounds like the collaboration of five guys who toured the country in a small van and shared cramped sleeping quarters where the combined experiences of arguing, laughing, partying and sharing ideas between gigs are the norm. “Let Go” opens with hard-panned guitars that jangle with classic tones over a meat-and-potatoes Brit-pop rhythm while Russell Pollard croons with that familiar nasal-tinged inflection made popular by guys like Bono and Chris Martin. But his singing segues into a smoother style on the attractive “Dots,” which waltzes with ‘50s innocence as doo-wop inspired backing vocals somehow blend perfectly with baroque-pop accoutrements like flutes and strings. The soaring “Tall Buildings” blends Jay Bennett-era Wilco arrangements with Imagine-era John Lennon piano-rock all the while retaining Everest’s collective style and elegant finesse.