Parachute makes no attempt to hide its commercial aspirations, and
Losing Sleep finds the band channeling the same blend of piano balladry, mainstream melody, and pop/rock catharsis championed by groups like
the Fray. Even so, many of the songs comprising this debut album are relatively old -- some of them penned nearly half a decade before the album's release -- meaning
Parachute isn't riding
the Fray's coattails as much as claiming a long-deserved spot in the renewed soft rock scene. As far as such music is concerned, this is relatively top-shelf material, performed with earnestness by the bandmates and smartly polished by Grammy-winning producer
John Shanks. Those familiar with
Parachute's older releases (issued under the band's previous name,
Sparky's Flaw) may note the expansion of the group's sound, with thicker harmonies and gauzy, synthesized string sections now bumping up against Will Anderson's voice. Every move here seems to be made with Top 40 radio in mind -- from the autumnal, Sunday morning strut of "She (For Liz)" to the
Maroon 5-styled funk of "Back Again" -- but ambition is good for any young band, and
Parachute is talented enough to warrant the starry-eyed approach. ~ Andrew Leahey