Frame & Canvas

Frame & Canvas

Frame and Canvas took me by surprise. I’ve had little or no prior knowledge of this group from local shows or news (not that this always means anything), and was bracing myself the typical hard first listen. Thankfully Frame and Canvas have a wonderfully accessible pop rock sound similar to The Outsiders, Safety Suit, Lifehouse and The Fray. The songs are immediately catchy and thankfully, up-tempo unlike the Fray who tends to drag. The guitars and drums are so tasty and well crafted! It’s no surprise this is the genre of music I am more comfortable with, so I am strongly biased.

There are so many great songs on the album it’s like Coke vs. Pepsi. You may argue that one is better than the other, but they’re both good, consistent, and go down easy. My stand out tracks are: Honestly, Right Where you are and Come Back to Me.

Minor criticisms: Chad Hansen has a strong tendency to make lists or just repeat first lines to emphasize. This can be very effective when used intentionally, but I’d be cautious not to use this as a crutch. Also, I’m a sucker for witty punch lines and catch phrases which could be more prominent. Still, if you’re looking for top notch, radio friendly pop hooks; then Frame & Canvas are your new best friends.