Rose Colored Sabotage, the second release by Impostor Syndrome, is a little difficult to classify. The five song EP has some tinges of punk and alternative, and of power pop; there are also some moments when the music seems to harken back the sixties, to bands like Jefferson Airplane. On their myspace site, the band, which consists of: Kristen Persinos on guitar and vocals, Kevin Lacy on drums, Dan Smith on bass, and Josh Weisberg on guitar and keyboards, are tongue and cheek concerning a categorization of their music, entering “your momma” in the “sounds like” category. Let's leave my mother out of this. Just call it rock n' roll.
The music is guitar heavy rock, not heavy metal, by any standards, just rock: a lot of power chords delivered with standard overdrive and not too much distortion. Josh Weisberg won't be challenging Joe Satriani for his crown anytime soon, but on the short solos he takes, he acquits himself well, using searing feedback and wah effects to deliver some psychedelic 60's screamers. Kristen Persinos (who also writes the band's songs) delivers vocals which are dark and brooding, with lyrics that conjure a sinister landscape. Her sultry, mysterious voice seems to glide over the top the music throughout the disk.
Pictures of this band, on their website, show four freakishly normal middle aged individuals: no green hair, no piercings and no tattoos; but even though this band doesn't court the youth culture they do bring something new to the table, and they do it using the same old influences people have been getting inspiration from for decades. That's not easy.
Tim Madison – MuzikReviews.com Contributor
October 28, 2009
