Bad Reed / Bad Reed

Bad Reed, a four piece quartet out of Brantford, Ontario, is slowly teasing the music scene with the release of their self-titled three-song EP. Channeling their various influences into their music, Bad Reed has made it a staple to incorporate elements of blues, reggae, jazz, and progressive rock. The group consists of Costa Chatzis on percussion, Austin Sharpe on bass, Sydney Sollazzo on vocals and keyboards, and Graham Walker on guitars.

The three-song EP starts off with the track “Punch It”. The group has nicely executed a leisurely building song which starts off with brightly picked guitar notes before the bass enters around the eighth measure and is briefly followed by drums, keys and vocals. There is also an elusive synth in the mix that adds some surface to the track that is already filled with interesting progressions. Sollazzo’s vocals seem to mimic those of Evanescence’s Amy Lees, as there is an eerily subtle resemblance.

“Slackjaw Romance” is a simple ballad like track that has Sollazzo showcasing a very different vocal style than performed on “Punch It”. The track is slower, and her initial cooing adds a dramatic effect that puts the listener under a spell typically induced by lullabies. The third track, “Cassava”, gives an exotic ambiance through the unusual chord progressions and off-time tempo - Belly dance anyone? The song explores some dynamics through its distorted guitar and acoustic changes midway. Once again, Sollazzo appears to be channeling Amy Lee, although this time through some eclectic musical backgrounds.