Since making their major-label debut in 2009, Virginia outfit
Parachute have produced three albums' worth of undeniably hooky, slickly crafted pop/rock confections. For their fourth LP,
Wide Awake, they've slimmed down from a quintet to the core trio of singer/guitarist
Will Anderson, keyboardist Kit French, and drummer Johnny Stubblefield. Longtime producer
John Fields is back at the helm to help reprise the band's mix of uplifting radio-ready rock, blue-eyed soul, and romantic ballads that has served them so well on prior releases.
Parachute certainly know their way around big melodic hooks, and opener "Without You" sets the tone on an album that seems to skew more toward their pop and soul tendencies. Among the 12 new tracks are the slick '80s-style ballad "Jennie," the lusty R&B number "Crave," and even a pair of piano-led gospel jams in "What Side of Love" and "New Orleans." ~ Timothy Monger