Album Review: Eye Alaska "Genesis Underground"

About a year and a half ago I stumbled across this band from Orange County, California named Eye Alaska. I listened to this track called “Roll Right Over” and I was hooked, it sounded to me like cheesy R&B from the 80’s but I was stoked because a band created this sound. I quickly added them and was really surprised that a band that sounded this good only had about 500 friends. Fast forward through an EP named “Yellow and Elephant” that came out in 2008, tours/shows with big named bands like The Maine and the Cab, and also playing at both 2008 and 2009’s Bamboozle Lefts and now they’re definitely a force to be reckoned with.


On July 7th 2009, Eye Alaska released their first full length album named “Genesis Underground” off of Fearless Records. The album starts off with a “poppier” song named “Walk Like a Gentleman” and it’s definitely a song I’d expect to hear in the soundtrack of a romantic comedy. The album starts out strong with its first couple tracks, after the aforementioned song comes a track called “Show Me Daluv” which has a real jazzy feel to it, and I’m definitely a fan of that, it definitely shows off more of their versatility, then comes a verse rhymed by an MC I’m not too familiar with named “VerBS,” though it was unexpected it shows that the band is definitely not scared to bring something different than most bands would. Next standout track in my eyes is called “American Landslide,” and this song is definitely the “baby-making” song of the album (though you could make babies to the entire album as far as I’m concerned). “Miles Don’t Mean Anything” is the band’s obligatory “I’m on the road and I miss you song” but it’s definitely the emotional climax of the album, nothing beats the sound of an acoustic guitar on a track like this and it’s done completely tastefully. And the last track I will mention is the re-done version of the track that made me a fan named “Roll Right Over,” the new recording is much clearer and it sounds beautiful adding harmonies and a much more warm sound. I still believe that “Roll Right Over” above all is the standout track in this album, especially when singer Brandon Wronski croons “I’ve never seen the ocean so clear as tonight, it’s raining over head and it’s almost just right. I could make it better if we left tonight for an island where we could sit and watch the waves just roll right over.”

So what are my general feelings toward this album? I think that Wronski is going to get boy band ass simply from his singing on this record. He is the brightest spot on this album. He’s got a very pop-rock/r&b vibe to his voice and also, for lack of a better word “soul,” which can’t be said for many frontmen out there. The entire album has a major “chill” vibe to it, which is just a bit troubling to me because I would have appreciated a much more energetic sound, at some points I felt like there wasn’t enough energy to keep me invested in it. They’ve definitely got a sound you can instantly fall in love with and I think they will gain tons of fans.


Bottom line: Definitely give Eye Alaska’s debut album “Genesis Undeground” a listen, it’s definitely a lot better than most of the garbage that has been invading the airwaves lately.

-Juicy Justin.