AFTERLIFE PARADE REBIRTH – Quinn Erwin is a singer, musician and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has a band that intertwines Alternative and Progressive Rock sounds with both soothing and upbeat vibes on Rebirth. Released on August 8th, 2011, Rebirth is an album that I am proud to review. The fact that Quinn’s vocals come across with heartfelt sincerity (to me), coupled with a soothing Rock coolness and Rebirth becomes an album that cannot be listened to on the fly or half sampled. Instead, I approached listening to Rebirth numerous times before considering what I would write about it, taking in each song and it’s message, both lyrically and musically.
Rebirth is the second in a two part concept album, with the companion project being titled: Death. Rebirth is an album that celebrates the loss of loved ones and Quinn Erwin set out to make a triumphant album of songs about death. Quinn “found himself surrounded by a series of losses in his own life and in the lives of those close to him” and felt “compelled by a desire to comfort the mourning”. I’ll have to make it quite clear here, the celebratory message about death that Quinn wanted to convey on Rebirth is astoundingly positive and moving.
On a personal level, I can’t resist relating to Rebirth, due to my losing my mother, sister and favorite aunt within the last several years and their leaving was just too close apart. Putting the theme of Rebirth aside, one mustn’t have to experience recent loss to enjoy the songs on this album. You can still play Rebirth loud while taking a long highway cruise or have this album playing during a party, it is that accessible. The open-air feeling that I take in from this album makes it all the more an enjoyable listen. Quinn obviously is astute in atmosphere of song.
Musically, the Rock of Afterlife Parade reminds me of U2, (only minus the annoying self-righteousness of the latter half of that iconic bands career). Quinn has seemed to capture the drive and hunger of a young Bono with his vocal approach, Black Woods, White Beach and the title track only accentuates my point here. My U2 comparisons may have you screaming that I’ve gone over the deep end here and I usually detest such comparisons myself. With that stated, Afterlife Parade is as original as German bratwurst, Quinn’s vocals are incredible, his songwriting is genius and his band plays exceptional.
This is an album that very well should catapult Quinn Erwin and Afterlife Parade to a level of impressive notoriety within the Rock music world. Rebirth has 8 songs that are as complete and artistically structured as any Grammy award-winning album in Rock Music today. Nothing on Rebirth comes across contrived or forced. Alternative Rock, Alt-Progressive Rock and old school “College Rock” fans are practically guaranteed to fall over for what Quinn Erwin has created here on Rebirth.
REBIRTH – Track List:
Phoenix
Rebirth
Black Woods, White Beach
Cincinnati
Chinese Hand Drum
Sequoia
Devil’s Dirt
Maypole
* All songs written by J. Quinn Erwin.
* REBIRTH – Produced, arranged and performed by Quinn Erwin and I Am the Actor.
* Album artwork and design by Jacob Blaze.
* Source for above article quotes: LAFAMOS PR & Branding
* You can stream the entire REBIRTH album and purchase it by clicking on the link below:
* For more info on AFTERLIFE PARADE, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE AFTERLIFE PARADE.
LONG LIVE QUINN ERWIN.
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Stone.
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