Soletta Reveals the Road Back to Optimism in Latest Effort
by Brooke Ketron
Pop punk music is characteristic for its shaggy haired front men and regretful messages spoken through minor-chord melodies. A Philadelphia-based quintet, Soletta, provides an optimistic get away for the faithful pop-punk audience with their second EP The Road Back Home released in August .
About the Music
Soletta surprises the expectant listener with carefully crafted melodies that display each individual instrument, for a “full” type of effect on the music -partially credited to recorder/producer, Paul Leavitt (worked with All Time Low, The Dangerous Summer, Circa Survive, Senses Fail, etc). Jimmy Eat World-like summer anthems “Where You Belong” and “This Road” tell the tale of finding your place in the world and leaving the past behind. Soletta proves they, too, are capable of taking their music mid-range while still producing an inspirational melody of the world around us. Focusing on people lost in the chaos of the world with “The New Wave,” which features guest vocalist Fred Mascherino (Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred, Terrible Things).
Album Strengths
While bands such as All Time Low and The Maine sing of tortured hearts and lost loves, Soletta’s piano ballad “Only You” is a passionate love story of waiting for, and finding, your soul mate. Arguably the strongest song on the EP, “Only You” becomes a prime example of the dedication the musicians place into every melody – leaving any love struck girl weak in the knees. The Road Back Home comes to a phenomenal end with the silky falsetto slips of vocalist Greg Smith and velvety guitar styling to compose the lullaby type song, “Wake Up.”
To Wrap it Up
Soletta’s attention to detail and uplifting messages leaves the listener with a new found confidence. To top it off, Soletta just completed a West Coast tour with popular indie-music bands: Sherwood and The Dangerous Summer. An East Coast tour is in the making alongside other pop punk bands, Bright and Early and The City Lights. An early November show has been scheduled in nearby West Chester, PA at Bam Margera’s bar, The Note.