The Paramount Trip – “Moment In Time” leaps out of the speakers and jumps through your ears
The Paramount Trip may be a name that you don’t identify just yet, but their album “Moment In Time” will suck you in, just listen to the lyrics and melodies, and you will definitely identify. The band shows that they can do rock music that is appealing to the ear. A lot different to the current stuff. The music is awesome and often the lyrics will twang your heart strings. A definite must have album and will be played for decades to come. “Moment In Time”, delivers a superb set of mid-tempo guitar driven numbers that should blaring from any Alternative Rock radio station near you every time you turn the dial.
The Paramount Trip were formed in 2018 in Bristol, England by members of the bands Racing Mars and Trash Casino. Both bands are known for their harder hitting rock sound, but band members Chris Finn, bass and Andy Newey, guitar had written a number of songs that were designed for a more alternative rock sound, so set they set about forming another project to perform and record these songs; joining up initially with drummer and keyboard player Rich Denning and then singer-songwriter Tony Barrett Powell to form The Paramount Trip.
Through 2019, the band set about sifting through their catalog of songs, ultimately selecting the 10 tracks that would make up the “Moment In Time” album, completed for release in 2020. What clearly emerges from this recording, is that The Paramount Trip are certainly capable of writing rock anthems with catchy pop stylings. Nearly every song on this album has a chorus that practically leaps out of the speakers and jumps through your ears.
Additionally, the band’s songs typically have a timelessness to them. It’s very easy to picture many of these tracks being relatable twenty years from now…either going backward or forward in time. Polished and tight, the album never teeters on the edge of overproduction, leaving enough organic vibrancy in the mixes which most modern rock productions lack nowadays.
“Moment In Time” starts well, with the punchy guitars and drums of “Falling for a Shooting Star”. Although it pulls back when the vocals start, it opens up again into an expansive, all-embracing chorus. Heartfelt lyrics talk of longing and staying together, on “Closer”, while the steadily strumming acoustic guitars maintain the momentum. The title track “Moment in Time”, switches to a funkier beat and jangling guitars.
Also noteworthy is “Amelie”, a track with an unfaltering beat and crunchy guitars that has clear hit single potential. As like all the other songs before it, the track provides the lead vocalist with the opportunity to exercise his resonant, yet silken vocal chords. Forged in the alternate sound of warm keys and crushing guitars, “Walking Nightmare” is the ballad you expect on an album of this caliber.
“Boy Without a Name” is a unique track with layered electric and acoustic guitars before eventually breaking into stronger rhythmic arrangement while maintaining a dreamy atmosphere throughout. “September on My Mind” features a strong and present drum beat, and angular guitar motifs. “Scar” is darker, with a powerful underbelly driving its core that gets stronger as the song builds. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.
Another standout comes in the surprising form of “Book of Days”. It steadily rollicks along on shards of melody and harmony with the vocals and lyrics giving the song its emotional heft. “Dark” takes the piano and guitar-driven power ballad template, and bathes it in irresistible vocals and emotive orchestration, both of which pack a heavy punch. All-round, there’s enough alt-rock polish on “Moment In Time” to keep it consistently shining for long-term playing.
