College seems to be the breeding grounds for bands. Friends get together in their garages and share good times and good music. In spite of their enthusiasm, these bands seem to dissipate after just a few short years as the young men turn into adults and go their separate ways.
Clairmont, a band out of College Station, seems to be ready to take their talents to the next level of musical achievement. Two of the band members attempted to have a successful music career in high school and didn’t make it far. But after picking up a new drummer and giving it another shot in college they are finally making some ground.
After releasing their first album “The Dweller EP” in 2005, Clairmont believed their sound should be heard by the masses, which made them begin production of the second album over the following three years. Clairmont’s newest album, “Strength Like Lions,” released in June of this year. Drummer, Michael Steele, believes that the drum parts of this CD are “more mature” because the band has had more time to focus on this album than they did with the first. This shows when you look at the mere number of tracks on each album. The Dweller EP was released with only seven tracks while Strength Like Lions is considered a full-length album with 13 songs.
Three talented young men make up Clairmont with Josh Taylor on vocals and guitar, Michael Steele on the drums, and Ben Love with the bass, vocals, and live electronics. After getting their start in College Station, Clairmont has traveled throughout Texas and has been beefing up their fan base since their start four years ago.
“Strength Like Lions” is an impressive and mature album. With an alternative rock sound, the band keeps it lively with a good beat and fantastic vocals. The first track “Breathing In” is a new personal favorite. While taking note of the great vocals, it became clear that they had created their own sound. They seem to have experimented with the alternative rock sound and infused it with a wonderful “indie” vibe. Band members say they take pride in the fact that they sound original. There was also great variation between the songs. Bands today seem to struggle making their songs different from each other, Clairmont has tackled this task. In a podcast interview with Sarah Bennet of the Bryan Broadcasting Station, Michael Steele, the drummer, says that the band aspires to be like and has been inspired by Jimmy Eat World and The Appleseed Cast; two bands well-known in the alternative rock world.
Clairmont’s fan base will continue to grow, especially if they keep playing shows and releasing great songs. If you are interested in hearing a few songs and trying out Clairmont, they can be found on Facebook and Myspace. Also, their CD can be bought online for just $10 at http://www.clairmontonline.com.