Tefflon – The Morning Way

Tefflon – The Morning Way / 2006 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.tefflon.com / Reviewed 24 July 2006

Tefflon plays a brand of rock that is tremendously influenced by Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, Jack Johnson, and other artists of that ilk. Saying that, Devin’s vocals on “A Long Drive” are the perfect equivalent to the rich instrumentation that threads its way through the entirety of “A Long Driven”. Where the instrumentation makes a down home, influenced-by-country plea to its listeners, the vocals are purely emotive, with a dash of rock thrown in. While “A Long Drive” has little in common with “Ludes” in the overall sound that the two tracks create, the full instrumentation and fulfilling vocals on both tracks make sure to inform listeners that both songs are Tefflon creations.

Tefflon scores another point for the major role that the band gives the violin during “The Morning Way”. The violin, played by Alicia, keep a classical gravity but are malleable enough to allow for Tefflon to have a current sound. In much the same way as Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life”, Tefflon can hide serious content behind what are truly beautiful songs. Even when Tefflon inserts an extended instrumental interlude with the violin as the focal point (as is the case during “The Morning Way”), the result is something that listeners in this current day and age can cling onto and find some common ground in. The only thing that can be construed as a negative during “The Morning Way” is that there is just not enough in the way of different arrangements during the track’s six-plus minute runtime.

The groove that Tefflon gets into is interesting, but it just does not have enough meat to keep individuals sated throughout the track. Luckily, the vocals come back in in a major way during “Drunk Her To Bed”. This track will again push on the adult contemporary / frathouse market, and shows that the band is skillful enough to intertwine heavy amounts of emotion into something that does not always sound that way. Tefflon keeps individuals listening throughout the entirety of “The Morning Way’s” forty-five plus minutes; this is an achievement, as few rock / indie acts can come through an entire album’s worth of material without a number of snags. The major problem with the disc has to be the extended instrumental interlude of “The Morning Way”, but this is the only dark mark on what has to be one of the most honest and heart-felt albums of 2006.

Top Tracks: Calgon Take Me Away, Ludes

Rating: 6.8/10

[JMcQ]