Wake from Yourself

Album Review

Few bands can truly straddle the line between indie rock and mainstream pop in this day and age — for the most part, bands tend to lean more towards one or the other. But Washington, D.C.'s Juniper Lane is a perfect example of one such band that fully — and equally — embraces both styles, as evidenced by their 2007 release, Wake from Yourself. With a sound that focuses primarily on guitars that ring à la U2 and chime à la Coldplay (courtesy of guitarist Chris Bonavia) and vocals that are comparable at times to a more pop-like Amy Lee (courtesy of Vivion Smith), Juniper Lane's sound equally appeals to those who listen to Top 40 radio, and those who read Filter magazine. A consistent listen from beginning to end, Wake from Yourself is loaded with tracks that could easily cross over to the masses, including such standouts as the album opening "Impact," "Hello," and the soaring "Coma." With more and more artists circa the early 21st century seeming to have forgotten all about the good ol' days of album rock, Juniper Lane proves that there are still bands out there that value the importance of creating a full-length, consistent album.