EP Review - Charlie Played Cello

Charlie Played Cello's Red EP

Review by Lauren

Buy it on Itunes!

music sent for review, but all opinions are my own

Los Angeles based rock ensemble Charlie Played Cello released their debut EP Red Fontana/Universal May 29 on iTunes. CPC is made up of band members Mike Resch (bass), Bill Scott (guitar), Tommy Villafranca (drums) and Chris Wiebe (vocals, guitar).

For those that don't know, an EP is a shorter version of an album, so Red only includes five songs, but they are all quite catchy and enjoyable.

The tracklist-

1. Memories Collide
2. Run Away with Me
3. Tired of Playing Games
4. Drifting Apart
4. Life Me on Fire It's Midnight

One of the things that I thought when listening to the music was that, while the music is pretty modern and standard pop/rock, the vocals from Wiebe actually have an old-fashioned sound that I greatly enjoyed. It just compels you to listen closer. I think it really stands out in the song, "Tired of  Playing Games."

While "Run Away with Me" seemed a bit repetitive in places, it was still catchy to listen too. One of my favorite tracks was "Drifting Apart", though. However, I think most people would really enjoy "Memories Collide." It definitely seems radio-ready and the intro actually made me think of some other current bands. Fun song (and you can see the very fun video below).

Finally, this is a band - based on their music and video- that I can see being a lot of fun live. They seem to really love what they do and want to make their listeners feel good. "Light Me on Fire It's Midnight" is catchy like the others, and it's something I could picture people dancing too or enjoying at an actual concert.

Overall, a pretty good debut! Check out the video below and let me know what you think in the comments!

Interesting Fact-

While loyal followers know how CPC got their name, new fans might not know that "Charlie" was one of Mike's and Chris's best friends who died in a motorcycle accident driving home from a CPC show. He played cello, and can be heard on some of the band's recordings.

The official video for Charlie Played Cello's song "Memories Collide" which is a fun look back at the rock 'n roll lifestyle.