Pretty Solitude
Hollow

"What the hell is it I'm listening to?"

That exact phrase was something I said one of the times I had this album going. I'm guessing it wasn't what Pretty Solitude was aiming for when they made 'Hollow', but unfortunately for them (or me?) the more I listen to this album, that's exactly what I feel: what the hell is this actually?

Musically, Pretty Solitude is some kind of merge between jazz, rock, pop and almost some punk rock. It's not really the kind of music I normally spend my time with and perhaps I'm too narrow minded to see this music for what it is, open minded Maybe, you shouldn't rule anything out, but I'm normally not the kind of person that's accused of being narrow minded and not open for different kind of things when it comes to music. I love music, all kinds of it (as long as it's good) but I just can't make myself saying that Pretty Solitude is even decent. I can't hear any kind of potential in this music even to carry on building on for the future. It just feels bad in my world.

I'm guessing that I've just made four new enemies by saying what I just said, in the members of the band (and perhaps also some of their fans). It might very well be so and if it is then that's a shame, but I can't help feeling that this sounds really bad, to be frank. It's not melodic, the vocals are terrible and cuts bones and marrow, the mixing and productions reminds me of an old factory or something, perhaps the kitchen cabinet with your saucepans, and before I end this bashing I also need to say that the music is quite simply uninteresting. I actually hesitated for a long time before I decided to publish this review considering the fact that I probably would make some people very disappointed because of the things I say, but then again - people have sent me the album, they expect me to review it and it's not my fault it sounds this way. So I'm sorry, but this is how I feel.

I feel the music is rooted in a sort of 70's way and probably the album and the sound of it has been adapted to the kind of budget and capabilities they had and they didn't chose to make some sort of epic, grand pop album and failed horribly (and probably didn't wanted to do anyway). Not that they succeeded with this either, but I'll grant them for not sounding like the normal everyday garbage you hear on the radio and whatever. However, the performance could have been better.

'Hollow' just don't cut it with me, it's an album I've played way too many times already, but I doubt it'll be many more times after this, it's just too hollow.

HHHHHHH