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Who springs to mind when you think of catchy melodic rock songs, strong female vocals and a modern up-to-date sound? No one? Didn’t think so.
Well, Challenge is stepping into that void.
With their critically acclaimed
album Acoustic Universe, Challenge has received worldwide recognition.
The record has been widely praised for it’s sincere and straightforward
back-to-basics sound while still maintaining a firmly planted modern presence.
Ready to take it to the next level?
You bet.
“We had a blast recording the
stripped down tunes for Acoustic Universe and playing a lot of acoustic
coffee house gigs,” says vocalist Allison Lindsay. “Then after a while, we were
itching to plug our guitars into a big Marshall stack and crank it up.”
The result, Spirit, is a melodic rock album with a heavier sound
and yet the same emphasis on melody.
“On Spirit, we continue to create a straightforward
organic feel by staying away from
countless overdubs,” comments
guitarist Arno Verstappen. “Our attitude is to write strong songs, capture an
honest performance and leave it alone.”
Combining
the influences of an L.A. native vocalist and a Dutch guitarist makes for a
unique musical blend from two continents. Their
signature style is rooted in traditional melodies with a clearly current sound.
The
two core members are supported by some of the best players in the business;
whose credits include touring and recording with Jackson Browne, Steve Vai,
Alice Cooper and Sheryl Crow, just to name a few.
The
10 songs on Spirit take a look at life around us. Covering many issues
from crime ("Dark Night") and having a realistic outlook
("Spirit") to defying conformity ("It's My Life"); as well
as passionate love songs. "The music really moved us to dig a little deeper
lyrically, rather than settling for the standard rock cliches," explains
Arno. "Overall, the record has a feel of completeness."
While
the band is certainly not turning a blind eye to the ever-changing musical
climate, they feel no need to jump on every trend either. "People will
always have a craving for melody, no matter what the flavor of the month,"
insists Allison. "All we have to do is play what comes natural."
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