Music Review // Arktik Lake "Shimmer EP" (feat. Marty Willson-Piper) (ToneZone Records)

https://arktiklake.bandcamp.com/album/shimmer-feat-marty-willson-piper

The sound of Arktik Lake is not an easy one to pin down, however it does embody that rock and roll sound which is so desperately needed in the world today.  Somewhere between being a western and finding its way into Americana, the "Shimmer EP" has a little bit of something for everyone who enjoys guitar-based songs.

At first I hear what comes out of the realm of classic rock.  There is some Toad the Wet Sprocket and even The Wallflowers.   "Hombre" is a purely instrumental song which makes me think of a film such as "Rango" but also it makes me think just as much of a band such as The Doors.   The way that Arktik Lake can be within both of those genres at the same time is not something I think an artist has ever done before.

"Promises We Made" is easily the single of this album, combining the sounds of someone such as Jim Carroll with that of Fastball.  And I think that's where this album really defines itself as well.  Back in those mid to late 1990's after grunge was going away, the modern rock radio stations were playing songs which didn't sound too much like each other and bands like Cake, The Wallflowers, Better Than Ezra, Fastball and Harvey Danger would emerge.

Though this can have those classic elements to it, the overall sound here is one of the future.  It's about a radio station having artists which all sound too similar.  It's about finding something different to listen to, starting a new trend.  Arktik Lake is not a band who sounds like other bands as much as I feel like they will end up becoming that band that a lot of other bands sound like.