The Parlor Mob

Dogs (Roadrunner)
By Mike Delano

Never underestimate the power of a good singer in a rock band. Mind-melting guitar solos, silky bass lines, and flashy drum fills can all slay the crowd in equal measure, but more often than not, it’s a great man or woman behind the mic that creates that first emotional connection you get with a band. Lucky for The Parlor Mob, they have a great one in Mark Melicia. He can really belt it out and elevates the best material on their second album, Dogs, like on the charging “Into the Sun” or “American Dream.” He’s got a forceful roar that recalls Robert Harvey of The Music or Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria, but his power is best used on the band’s up-tempo stuff rather than on slower songs like “Practice in Patience” or “Holding On.” Those aren’t bad songs and provide necessary contrast on the album, but they don’t sound as fully formed as when the whole band is allowed to cut loose, as on the Clutch-style stomper “Take What’s Mine.” The exception is the acoustic “Slip Through My Hands,” an affecting indication that, if they can continue to balance the fantastic bombast with intimate moments like these, there’s a bright future ahead.
(www.roadrunnerrecords.com)