Prospect Hill
Impact
Derek Rousseau – Lead Guitar
Adam Fithian - Vocals
Mark Roberge - Drums
Edgar Troncoso – Bass
John Roberge - Rhythm Guitar
Prospect Hill is a five piece band hailing
from a small town outside of Boston. Named after a neighborhood, the guys have worked non-stop for the last few years. The
band put out some independent albums on their own while playing hand-me-down instruments. Prospect Hill has played with some
big name acts that came through their area as well as earning the Best Underground Act award from High Times and performed
at SxSW in 2010. Their newest release, Impact, features 11 tracks that spread
38 minutes and gets going with “Townie.” The tune opens up with an interesting intro before the vocals come strolling
in. The song is a little reserved. The vocals are set back (both the lead and the backing) while the tunes offer much of the
same tone. I’m not sure this is the ideal track to lead the album off with. The lack of energy and intensity will have
you a bit somber after it. “Life Goes On” turns some of that stuff around. The tune offers up a bit more energy
and the vocals step up some. This track is easier to get into with a faster tempo and a more involved sound. The guitars are
solid while the drums strike up a great beat. The vocals are the key in this one. With them stepping up to the forefront and
taking control a bit more the song sound stronger. The track definitely puts them in the right direction. “Superhero”
offers up some of the highest and drawn out notes that you will hear. The vocals are super clear and wear their emotion right
out on their sleeves. The music follows on their heels as this song is a cohesive unit. The passion filled tune will have
hands flying high in the air while the crowd is closing their eyes and soaking up every word. It’s a dynamic track.
“Say Uncle” is just an instrumental that actually would work well as an intro to a show or coming out of a break.
“Come Alive” kicks up the energy in the intro, but then backs off as the first verse came in. They then kick it
back up for the chorus. The music is awesome sounding with a couple effects flittering about. The vocals are clear and easy
to pick up. This is a top notch track. It sounds solid and will have you hitting the repeat button. “Roller Coaster”
wastes little time in getting the vocals involved, however they are hard to hear. They are little muffled. The music is okay.
There really isn't much that will keep you coming back. There is a little guitar solo that helps and spots of the lyrics are
catchy, but other than that there isn't much holding you there. “Reflections” is a passionate sounding track with
nice vocals and elegant music. The tune is a hidden gem, but it’s not going to stay that way for long. It has nearly
everything that it needs to be a star. The vocals are pretty clear while the lyrics hold a deep meaning. It’s a great
tune. “Break Down” is another slower track with crisp vocals and an amazing sound. The music is super smooth and
will have you closing your eyes. The guitars are great while the drums drive the track. You can lose yourself in this track.
“Rescued” speeds the album back up. It’s not the fastest thing you will ever hear, but it’s faster
than most of the tunes on the album. The sound of the track is solid. You can easily get into the vibe of the track. The vocals
are good as well. They include some gang vocals as well as true backing vocals. They offer up some descent lyrics that you
can easily sing along with. It moves the record along quite well. “Time” opens up with a killer intro, but they
seem to lose it a little when the vocals come in. There are parts of the track that sound really good, but others seem a bit
mashed up. It’s a middle of the pack track to me. “Reach” wraps up the album with a descent track that offers
up more gang vocals and some rocking guitars. The drums also strike hard, but it’s the vocals track. They are pretty
clear and you can easily follow along with them. They offer up some solid lyrics that I think some fans will attach to. Overall
this new record from Prospect Hill isn't bad. There are true gems throughout the album and I can see them doing great things.
There are however, some others that just seem like fillers. Those tracks just seem to be missing something, whether it is
some recording issues or just that spark that it needs to get off the ground. The vocals seem to be the key more so for this
album than others. There are a few tracks that have great vocals and they sounded better. The ones that are rough vocally
have some issues. The opening track is a key example. Musically the record is solid. There are a few lulls, but overall it’s
good. I’d like to hear a bit more energy, but their sound is distinctive and that’s the key. I can hear some positive
movement in what this album has to offer
Rating: 7 out of 10
Tracks to Watch:
Superhero, Come Alive, Reflections
Track List:
- Townie
- Life Goes On
- Superhero
- Say Uncle
- Come Alive
- Roller Coaster
- Reflections
- Breakdown
- Rescued
- Time
- Reach
Website (s): www.facebook.com/prospecthill