Reviews

September 17, 2006
Reviewer: Josh Hammerstedt
Publication: PG This Week - Prince George Citizen




    www.progscape.com

February 3, 2007
Reviewer: Bill Knispel

Originally from Prince George, British Columbia, Chris Palser is a singer/songwriter with a slightly heavier rock style. His voice and delivery sometimes bears comparison to Ed Kowalczyk (vocalist for Live), while musically his material is contemporary rock with a harder alternative twist. Left Behind is Palser’s debut release.

A sense of wistful reminiscing and loss permeates the atmosphere on Left Behind; this is somewhat less surprising when one views Palser’s website and discovers that the material on this album was written following his divorce. The songs are never truly bitter or angry, but a feeling of regret washes the tracks with a patina of sadness, and Palser’s earnest, emotional delivery, combined with the lyrics, makes for an urgent and intense listen.

“Left Behind” (the album’s title track) and “Your Doors” are representative tracks, complete with emotional, urgent vocals, crunchy rhythm guitars, and bigger than life anthemic hooks that could have been lifted wholesale from any of several 1980’s arena rock bands. “Shame” opens with acoustic guitar before building to arena-zised choruses. Cassandra Nantel’s backing vocals add some shade and additional texture to the piece, and the alternating acoustic and electric sections set this piece a bit apart from the masses. “Your Way Home” has an instrumental melody line that reminds of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, albeit likely not intentional. It’s a neat little reminder of how certain themes seem to become more of a universal piece of people’s musical vocabularies.

Production values on Left Behind are good, with a spacious sound field and plenty of room for instruments to breathe. Having a somewhat more stripped down sound helps contribute to this feel, but it could have just as easily created a narrower, less open mix.

What Left Behind lacks in intricacy and technique it more than makes up for in pure emotion and integrity. Chris Palser is a songwriter to look out for, and Left Behind is an honest and powerful debut album.


    www.zedfm.com

Kent Schumaker (kschumaker@newcap.ca)
To: c_palser@hotmail.com

Subject: From Zed FM Red Deer


Chris

Man, great sound, bro. I'm diggin' the cd so far. Great work. You definately have a unique sound with some catchy riffs, hooks, and bridges, dude. Everything I wish I could get with all new music I have to listen to. With yours, I can say I 'get' to listen to it. Now for the radio-type news. Get us some spin numbers from some of the smaller rock markets and from my end, I'm gonna spin ya a couple times on a new music show Budweiser sponsors at our station. It runs Saturday nights at 10-11. Just shoot me an email with the track you're 'releasing' first. If I don't hear back from you by next Monday morning, I'll be tossing track 2 into the show. Love it. Have a good one.



Kent Schumaker
Zed Music Director
Red Deer Alberta
kschumaker@newcap.ca


    www.youthink.ca

February, 2007
Reviewer: Megan Keriliuk

Don’t get left behind – check out Chris Palser!

The soothing acoustic melodies and upbeat lyrics from this up-and-coming soft rock musician originally from Prince George (now living in Vernon) sounds like a perfect mixture of Jack Johnson and Maroon 5. With catchy melodic songs like “Tell Me Why” and “Left Behind,” Chris Palser is not destined to be as a one-hit wonder. This debut is full of laid-back pop tracks with the potential for mainstream radio play.

Megan’s fave track: “Tell Me Why"

Garage Band Reviews for the song "Left Behind"

    www.garageband.com

very good song indeed, highly emotional it made me feel kind of sad, hehe, great mood and lyrics, i like this song.

Extra Credit: Male Vocals, Lyrics, Melody, Mood, Originality.


- armandox1983


Big Sound

Kinda reminds me of Live and Collective Soul. The drumss and guitars aound huge. The vocals are smooth and lyrically thoughful. Really cool stuff.

Not that it matters to you, but I'd add something else. Maybe some strings or something in the verse. I think they'd add a lot to the overall "big" sound and break up a beautiful but repetetive melody.

The change from bridge to chorus also works very well. Good Stuff!

Extra Credit: Mood.


- Retrowarp
New Monmouth, New Jersey


Is that a fretless bass? nice touch. You've got a great mix and a great song here. I would personally like to hear the drums just a bit more. Nice job and good luck in the future.

Extra Credit: Male Vocals, Guitars, Drums, Bass, Production, Lyrics, Originality.


Steve Skavinsky
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada


Good Clean Sound

This song has a good flow with good emotion. I like the clean guitar an percussion. Got a little Roy Orbitson in your singing. I like the steady beat. Good Luck! Extra Credit: Male Vocals, Guitars, Production.

M2Link South Florida, Florida


Solid

cool voice, sounds like cat stevens meets the lead singer from matchbox 20, and the singer from LIVE (can't remember his name now). nice beat/mix/production. song shows the singer's range well.

AUGUST ROCKS Los Angeles, California


Engaging

I really like it very good song. the guitars have a good tone. the melody is pretty nice as well

- 53days
Buffalo, New York


Acoustic guitar sounds nice on this track and vocals work really well with it. I probably wouldn't have the bv's repeating so often though. Nice little track.

- NineSignals
Wellington, New Zealand


Nice clean Intro.....

A well structured song, good balance between sections, verse chorus. Builds nicely with the introduction of extra percussion flavour in the second verse. The snare leaps out a little to much for my liking, small thing though. Sonically nice and open mix with good front to back depth. Good use of dynamics for intensity purposes. 4.02 just flew by, excellent. Extra Credit: Production.

- MikBunn
Motueka, Tasman, New Zealand

Nice and smooth

Guitar sounds great, but maybe a bit too loud over the rest of the music. Same goes for the vocals. Some background vocals would really make this soung stand out. Really like the electric guitar in the chorus. But i find myself still wishing the rest of the music was mixed in a bit better. Nice song overall though.

- solidfunkin1972
Ann Arbor, Michigan


Bring up the music

I love acoustic based songs. The vocals are a bit loud, but done very well. It sounds like they are sitting too much above the music. Extra Credit: Guitars.

- ClawMusic
Woodinville, Washington


Intriguing acoustic composition

This moody, acoustic track has some superb elements in it with it`s close, in your face vocals & jangling guitars mixed with clever choice of melody, especially the chorus. There was an REM feel to it & I immediately thought a mandolin line would work as a thread of continuity through it. Overall it had atmosphere & honesty which I really liked...tasty!!! Extra Credit: Mood.

- XGypsy North Fylde, Lancashire, United Kingdom