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The band AXOE is Evan Sornstein (music) and Patrick O’Connor (vocals). Evan, who was an original member of the band Battery, formed AXOE as a vehicle for making straightforward, honest synthpop music. According to the band’s informative and well-conceived Web site, synthpop acts such as OMD, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, the Eurythmics, Tears For Fears, and Yaz have been instrumental influences. I would toss in Camouflage in the mix too, as most of the AXOE songs have that Camouflage temperament. This list should provide a solid reference point for AXOE’s sound and musical philosophy.
The music on Telegraphic totals fifty-five minutes, which is an impressive amount of time for a debut CD. Because the songs are similar in nature, I found it a bit too long to listen to in one sitting. That is about the worst thing I can say about the CD. Otherwise, Telegraphic is a strong collection of classic synthpop songs, harkening back to early 80s synthpop era without sounding too retro.
Song highlights include Telegraphic, Fallen, Satellites, Calling, Now’s The Time (my personal favorite), Red Light, The Well, and Waiting. You might have noticed that those are the first eight tracks on the CD. The true highlights are Patrick O’Connor’s voice, the inclusion of Fonta Hadley on backing vocals, Evan Sornstein’s creative musical arrangements, and the outstanding production quality of the CD. There is nothing new here, but it is a solid synthpop collection.
RATING: 8
Artist Link: http://www.axoe.net
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