UnknownComponent

Unknown Component “In Direct Communication’

Brent Busby

10/8/8 The Edge Section

Within recent years, big music acts have started to shun the music industry and have opted to record, release and promote their music completely on their own. At first, this idea seems revolutionary, but then it only takes a matter of time to realize that indie artists have always survived by using the “do it yourself” technique.

The Iowa native band Unknown Component is a prime example of an indie artist surviving by self-promotion. What makes Unknown Component even more impressive is that the band has only one member: Keith Lynch.

Not only does Lynch play all the instruments and record the vocals for each album, he also writes all the lyrics and music, as well as creates the album’s artwork.

The track “Into the Sun” opens up Unknown Component’s seventh album, “In Direct Communication,” with a soft distorted guitar riff and a light drum track. The first half of the album is made up almost entirely of mid-tempo, mellow rock songs, with the guitar backing Lynch’s vocals. Every now and then, a synthesizer can be heard in the background to add a little more atmosphere.

Halfway through the album, Lynch switches gears and breaks out a piano to use for several songs, including “On Your Mind,” which also features a wall of synthesizer-created strings to complete the sound.

Musically, the album can be summed up as a great soundtrack for relaxation, as the album never becomes too heavy or overbearing, but never lacks substance. It is hard to pin down just what influences can be heard in Unknown Component, because not one type of music seems to define the sound. It comes off as a bit poppy, but the guitars have enough crunch to them to satisfy rock fans as well.

Lynch’s vocals come off as a mix between Kurt Cobain when he isn’t screaming and Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. While Lynch may not have the most powerful voice, he uses it perfectly to complement his carefully constructed music. “In Direct Communication” could almost be considered a concept album, as each track seems to deal with observing the world around.

For music fans curious about giving the new album a listen, Unknown Component has put music available for download on their official Web site at www.unknowncomponent.com. The site also contains information on show dates and the option to buy “In Direct Communication” for less than $10.