KINK Community Concert Review: Scars on 45

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April 23, 2012, 9:08 am

KINK Community member Cynthia Orlando gives her take on Scars on 45.

Scars on 45's debut CD is all the buzz.

"Thank you to all the radio programmers across the U.S. who gave our band a chance," say the appreciative liner notes of Scars on 45's new debut CD... and yes, it would appear the radio airplay really has paid off. After much waiting, Scars on 45, the Indie rock band from England, has every reason to celebrate. 

VIEW VIDEOS: Scars on 45 in the Bing Lounge

Not only did the band appear on Jay Leno last month, their newly-released, first full-length CD Scars on 45 has been generating a lot of buzz on the internet - including a thumbs-up from Billboard.

Released April 10 on Chop Shop / Atlantic Records, the new release from this promising new band plays up the clear, sincere vocals of Danny Bemrose on gentle songs like "Warning Sign," its opening track.  Most songs follow a similar sound and feel, showcasing a solid, comfortable setup of guitars, keyboards and drums. Bemrose's plaintive vocals wrapped up with the nicely melded guitars and harmonies of "Heart on Fire" and "Don't Say" bring to mind Fleetwood Mac (and indeed, Fleetwood Mac is one of the band's inspirations).

After years of hoping to be recognized in England, Scars on 45 hit a stroke of luck when one of their songs, “Beauty’s Running Wild,” was featured in an episode of "CSI: New York" (their music has also been aired to promote "Grey's Anatomy").

The 5-member band consists of Danny Bemrose (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Aimee Driver (vocals), Stuart Nichols (bass guitar), David "Nova" Nowankowski (keyboards, backing vocals) and Chris Durling (drums, percussion). Band member Nova discovered singer Aimee Driver when the two were schoolmates, and that's fortunate because her voice is a pitch-perfect match for the harmonies she sings with lead singer Bemrose. They also sound great on separate tracks; when Bemrose sings "We risked our lives on a feeling / it could all work out" on the exceptional, "The Way That We Are," you believe him. And Driver's tender vocals on the sad lament "Change My Needs" are poignant and appealing.

Band members are surely hoping their new-found successes here in the U.S. will bring them more name recognition back home; we hope so, too. And if you're wondering where the band's name comes from, there's an interesting story behind it: singer Bemrose once heard an interview with Emmylou Harris, in which she talked about getting into trouble for scratching up her father's records, and getting “scars on his 45’s.”

The self-titled new release is sure to appeal to KINK listeners, who've already warmly embraced the hit single "Give Me Something." You can check out some of the other selections on their website:  www.scarson45.com

Watch for them in concert For those who've had the pleasure to experience "Scars on 45" performing live, this is a band that's hard to sit down for.  They were dynamite last year at the Aladdin Theater where they opened for Augustana, playing their hearts out, interacting with the audience, and clearly connecting with listeners.

They'll be back in Portland June 9, so if the CD draws you in, don't miss a chance to hear them perform live.