Melee – Devils & Angels

• 24th Jul 2008

Having had a decent success rate over the Atlantic, Californian group Melee have decided to release their newest album “Devils & Angels” in the UK. Stating they make melodic pop influenced by greats such as Elton John, Chris Martin and John Legend you get a fair idea of the sort of music you will find on this release.

“Devils & Angels” is a grown up style of music which deals with issues which affect young people, from being the last one left at home facing the reality of working life in “For A Lifetime” through to facing up to your mistakes in “Biggest Mistake”. The music is largely piano led but mixed with guitars to varying degrees creating everything from ballads to power pop.

Melee are at their best when they really let rip with the guitars like in “Drive Away” and “Biggest Mistake” which downgrades the piano to an accompaniment. Previous single “Built To Last” is also very listenable and “Rhythm Of Rain” must be a future single choice with some decent guitar riffs but they do slip into over-sentimentality too easily, “Love Carries On” for example, which slows the album down.

“Devils & Angels” is a good enough album which will appeal to teenagers, fans of sentimental power pop, and if “Built To Last” appealed to you then you will like this.