Greenlight Promise
Total fans: 259
It was a friends-of-friends cross-pollination that led to the meeting of guitarist Jason Bloodworth and vocalist Ross M. Hull. Bloodworth’s “we should write some songs” was not only a polite conversation maker, but what led to the formation of Greenlight Promise. Joined by a revolving rhythm section, the band hit the NY/NJ live circuit, working out chemistry kinks and developing an overall sound. (Look: you know that bands cringe at writer’s sound-defining adjectives. Let’s say GP is “rock that’s a little alternative” for starters, and agree to listen and decide for ourselves.) The band soon entered the studio and didn’t leave until completing the ambitious 'In A Mirror That Lied The Truth'. The self-produced 13-song album is the product of a band moving forward in a way most bands today sadly move backward. Simply put, Greenlight Promise is a group actually focused on the craft of song writing. ___ The first minute of opener “Full Circle” (okay, it’s really the first 1:06) offers a good snapshot of the band’s sound: out-front vocals, clever drumming, similar-but-different guitar parts and a pinned-down bass that all lead up to a memorable chorus. (“That’s our most accessible one,” Bloodworth reckons, and he may be right.) Lest the listener get too comfy, 'In A Mirror ...' takes left turns with the likes of the five-minute plus “After The Sugar,” where the four-string takes the lead, guitars get fuzzy and the lyrics more cryptic. The whole thing builds into a wall of sound that crumbles into a piano piece. “I don’t like to say much,” explains Hull regarding his lyrics, but he may be half lying: they do more than rhyme, and touch on universal themes of love found, lost, and found again, sometimes from all angles. Production subtleties make 'In A Mirror ...' a worthy repeat listen in its entirety; guitars, keys and even violins (“And Everything”) weave in and out of a spacious mix. The collection ends with the smart, atmospheric pop of “A Song Is Worth A Thousand Pictures,” which would fit in anyone’s iPod hit list.___ With 'In A Mirror That Lied The Truth' finally completed and “out there,” Greenlight Promise is returning to live performing. “We’ll be everywhere,” says Bloodworth, who adds that in addition to club dates, the band is looking to appear on festival bills around the country.
