New Artist Alert: Afterlife Parade

I was recently introduced to the fantastic Afterlife Parade. Personified, the outfit is Quinn Erwin, whose debut offering 'Death' reflects the celebration of many passing lives with his thought-provoking and often harrowing EP. After having recently relocated to Nashville, the musical mecca for many a-fan and artist alike, Erwin found himself surrounded by loss and channeled his emotions, turning his grief into celebration, and came up with a mature-sounding debut introduction whose title track, although upbeat, carries a sinister underlying feel. A one Jeff Buckley is, ironically, resurrected; his influence on the music and sound of the vocals very apparent throughout the EP. The haunting offering of 'Nothing But Love Can Stay' is a definite stand-out track, its ghostly piano and solemn vocals laying the foundation of the sinister love song.

The entire EP tells a story, taking the listener on a journey, beginning with the concise Fate: An Introduction, aptly named at the head of the album which meanders among death's path, hot on the heels of the Grim Reaper, before concluding with Afterlife Parade, completing the journey from a fateful death to the preceeding accepatance.

Death doesn't make for the happiest of listenings contrary to its ambition to celebarate and not mourn the passing of souls, but it definitely attempts to maintain an upbeat outlook on death which can't be the easiest pitch. I really like the sound of the artist and indeed the EP itself, and hope you'll be intrigued to delve yourself into the mind of Quinn Erwin and explore the EP for yourself.

Take a step into the unknown; more on Afterlife Parade can be found on Myspace where you can hear Death for yourself and keep up-to-date with the artist.