Right time, right place.  Or so the saying goes.  As luck would have it, I found myself on the website for Vancouver trio A Name Unheard.  By sheer serendipity, their just released EP Human was the soundtrack I was searching for. 

The EP kicks off with “Brothers”, which is probably the best song I’ve heard from an unsigned Vancouver band in recent memory.  Its pounding beat, wailing guitars and soaring melody are all ingredients for not only a great album opener, but also a brilliant single.  First class all the way.

The title track finds the band in a blues funk groove, while “1000” is a mid-tempo jangler that uses a choir of voices to bring the song to an epic conclusion.  

“Kind Tiger” is the song that rocks the hardest amongst the set, complete with chants leading into a chorus that will get stuck in your head for weeks.  The EP ends with “Still Breathing”, a song about redemption and hope, the latter being a theme that permeates the entire album.

What is most likeable about the entire release is that each song has a strong melody and is delivered by vocalist (and guitarist) Hussein Namer with power and conviction.  It’s so refreshing to hear a young band with a strong vocalist.  

This release was a pleasant surprise with strong songs that are perfectly executed.  Mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot more from A Name Unheard.