The Tint
The 11th Hour
On Primary Voltage
Grade: BNew to the Boston music scene is The Tint, consisting of Evan Evans (vocals, guitar), Sean Will (keyboard), Sean Green (drums) and Mike Geher (bass). The band is hoping that its second album on Cambridge's Primary Voltage Records, entitled The 11th Hour, will be its big break. While the songs seem typical to those one would hear on the radio, I didn't find anything mind-blowing about this album. In the press releases sent with the CD, The Tint was often classified as a punk-rock band. When I think of punk, however, I think of hard guitar with a vocalist who screams and yells more than he actually sings. Therefore, if I was going to classify this band, it would be more of a mellowed out Green Day-type punk.

The main thing that stands out about The Tint is the interesting keyboarding that appears most obviously in the title track and throughout the rest of the album. This aspect of the band sets them apart from other punk groups. The songs are catchy, and it is very possible that the title track could become a radio single. However, their overly-familiar sound prevents them from being exceptional. Besides the innovative addition of a keyboard, The Tint's music could pass for that of many other bands. Along with Green Day, they sound similar to Sugarcult and the small Long Island band, The Reunion Show.
Yet, not "mind-blowing" does not necessarily mean "not good." The guitar sound is more distinctive than I have heard in recent bands, and their songs display some variety-some tracks have a good dance beat while others are more melancholy.

However, sometimes the rhythm and the lyrics of a song do not match. For example, the title track, "The 11th hour," talks about being left behind, feeling a little lost and perhaps needing to start over, but the music is surprisingly upbeat. Though it's not a requirement, I would expect the lyrics to mesh with the sound of the song.
In spite of a few setbacks, this album has potential. The songs are catchy and easily got stuck in my head, particularly "Bad Mood," which I found myself singing at a later time. Some lyrics are convincingly heartfelt. In "Splinter," for example, after repeated listening, you can start to feel the longing in Evans' voice.

Regardless of the occasional catchy tracks, this band also has the potential to fade in to the background due to the already too-familiar sound of the songs. On the positive side, The Tint does have the talent to develop their style. Evans has a lot of room to expand on the guitar, and could be great if he took some more risks with his method. The drumming from Green gives the band its punk sound. It's a little more frantic than your average rock song, giving some songs a much-needed edge.

Their lyrics are also a little smarter than normal rock lyrics. While still broaching normal topics like heartbreak, it's more of a "this is how I feel about it" approach instead of "how could you do this to me?"
If The Tint's songs make it to the radio, they have a good chance of going far. Fan of mellower punk or alternative rock will find this band up their alley. With some growth and maturing, The Tint has the potential to become an established punk band.