SONG REVIEW: 6 Acre Earth - "Crossing Lines"
6 Acre Earth explode onto the scene with upbeat grooves and soaring melodies in “Crossing Lines”
Written by JD Walker
The revival of alternative music and guitar-driven songs in the mainstream music scene has been a blessing and a curse, as many new groups struggle to find their place among the paradigm shift of nostalgia-driven consumption of new music. Every now and again a band pops up that finds the perfect blend between nostalgic style and modern innovation, and 6 Acre Earth falls into that category perfectly. In their new single “Crossing Lines”, the group delivers and upbeat and catchy tune reminiscent of early post-hardcore while retaining many of the elements that makes modern music such a step forward from the bands of yester-year.
The song begins with a synth-driven melody layered with choppy chords and grooves before kicking into the more restrained verse. At that point, the vocals take center stage and proceed to wow the audience through incredibly high yet well controlled melodies. Through the chorus, the band maintains a composure of graceful chaos as the melodies soar, yet never become unrestrained or uncontrollable. The group are clearly very skilled at their craft as their control over the ebb and flow of power throughout the song shows their ability to effectively structure a catchy yet progressive song.
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, 6 Acre Earth is composed of vocalist Ben Willey, guitarist Tyler Gamache, and bassist Spencer Gamache. “Crossing Lines” serves as their latest offering in a catalogue that includes four other singles. The group does a great job of balancing the orchestration of the instrumental with the flair of Willey’s soaring vocals, structured to compliment each other instead of one sound being dominant over the others. This is partially (but not fully) due to the layering of a multitude of soundscapes behind the vocals and instruments as well as stellar production work on the mixing and mastering front. To those that wonder what the great post-hardcore bands might have sounded like if they evolved and produced music in the modern decade, look no further than 6 Acre Earth.
6 Acre Earth are new to the post-hardcore and emo scenes, but are by no means out of their element. The group sounds more cohesive than many modern groups within the same genre and are a welcome newcomer to the renaissance of alternative music. Following their current trajectory, the future looks extremely bright for 6 Acre Earth as their musicianship and propensity to write deep, meaningful, catchy songs are skill sets envied by many and replicated by few.