Not quite rock and not quite roll, Stand exists somewhere between Vertical Horizon and American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry, except more Irish and less knit hats. Stand fans are similarly styled, equal parts business casual and co-ed keg fest. Saturday night at the Bowery Ballroom the band and their loyal devotees partied like it was 1999, gettin’ down and…mildly unclean with boozy fervor. While I would have gladly paid real money to witness a Stand fan mosh pit, the crowd remained mostly tame, save for a few inane attempts at pogo-ing and more than a few dudes shrieking “Staaaaaaand!,” which was helpful for every time I forgot the band’s name (0 times).
Although I didn’t know at the time, I had entered Standland, a curious realm
where bands like Vertical Horizon, Incubus, Creed and the grossly misnamed Hoobastank call themselves “rockstars” and nobody scoffs. With their brand of radio-friendly melodic emoting, Stand could very well be the new messiahs of the stubbornly undying “alt rock” genre. The good news for the band is that there will always be a market for their sound. They are very much “anti-hipsters,” favoring hooks and accessibility over edge and obscurity, which, in itself, is a refreshing alternative to the often pretentious landscape of indie music. The bad news is that because of their style, the music has that “haven’t I heard this before?” familiarity that at best is engaging, yet doesn’t necessarily inspire jaw-dropping awe.
On Travel Light, the band’s fourth studio album, stand-out tracks include “Days Gone,” where lead vocalists Neil Eurelle and Alan Doyle do that “dueling” harmonization that always produces satisfying results (always. Don’t even try to resist it), and “Slave to the Weekend,” an understated little number that bounces along like a spry merry-go-round, spinning a tasteful beat with contemplative musings about life’s blurs. Lyrically, Stand surpasses most of their genre peers, and sonically the music is big and flamboyant (in a manly way, of course), which translates well live (consider the throbbing “Carousel” as realized by a cascade of fluttery lights and a cavalcade of thrashing enthusiasts).
But maybe I’m missing the point here, which is that there really isn’t a point. Perhaps the lads of Stand care more about having fun and arousing fun than making people scratch their heads with cryptic manifestos and bizarre conduct. And really, who can argue with good times and good intentions? I’m going to stop trying to. Enjoy.
Travel Light is available now. For more information about the band, please visit Stand’s official website at www.standland.com or on Myspace at www.myspace.com/standland.
-Lara
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