Single of the Week: Pieces of the Sun--Test Your Reflex

As you might be able to guess, this week's single didn't exactly catch my interest. It's not to say that it's bad, it's just...boring. That being said, I think it might actually do all right as a single. I mean, if Nickelback can make it to regular audio play, these guys should have no problem. Not that they sound like Nickelback, more like a cross between Panic! At the Disco (another band whose success I have a hard time understanding) and The Stereophonics, with a little bit of the Editors thrown in. Here-maybe the rundown will make it a little clearer.

What's the song?

Pieces of the Sun

Who's the artist?

Test Your Reflex

What's the genre?

      Modern Pop-Rock

What does iTunes say about it?

Nothing. ITunes was surprisingly reticent this week. Maybe they fell asleep too.

What's it sound like?

Everything on the radio. It's like Frankenstein's monster of pop. Take a little bit of one band, mix in a dash of another, stir it with a sugar stick, and voila! a new band to have a single minor hit and disappear.

How does it work as a single?

I find it dull but not distasteful. I managed to listen to it several times while writing this review without pulling my hair out. In fact, it sort of grew on me, like a fungus-the fungus of corporate radio. Get it off me.

How about a whole album?

I have a bad feeling that a whole album would sound just like this, 10-12 times over.

I kind of like this song-what's another similar single I should check out?

"Munich" by the Editors. It's a little more esoteric and might take a few listens, but worth it, I think. Or you could go old school and try Echo and the Bunnyman's cover of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue," just because these guys sound like they're stealing from Echo and the Bunnyman and making it more angsty; that, and the "Baby Blue" cover is both faithful to the original and updated, which makes it a nice little listen.

Forget the rest of that-what's the bottom line?

The bottom line? Boring corporate pop-rock.

But that's just my opinion. What do you think?

Sarah Erlewine, Music Correspondent:

Sarah's column, Single of the Week, published every Wednesday to Gather Essentials: Music (http://music.gather.com), is a look at the latest up-and-coming singles highlighted on iTunes and available for free download.

Sarah Erlewine has previously written for the All Music Guide. In her daily life, she is a technical writer for Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI.

You can find all of Sarah's columns at http://www.gather.com/singleoftheweek .

Keep up with Sarah's other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network -- just click here http://sarahe.gather.com/ and select the orange "Connect" button on the left-hand side of the page.

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