Reamonn - Reamonn (2008)

Founded in Germany with Irish members, Reamonn has found itself growing an international audience album by album, always singing in English but gaining popularity in Germany, the U.K., Switzerland, Greece (where their self-titled fifth album hit the Top 10), and beyond. The music is straightforward alternative rock, like Nickelback without the angrier end of their pathos. The compositions and delivery aren't far off from many of the basic ornamentations used in contemporary Christian music, nor are the lyrical themes from time to time. Lead singer Rea Garvey imbues his lyrics with a bit of strain, stretching out his syllables just enough to show that he's lost without the object of his affections. The music itself has some serious drama in it, sweeping string arrangements holding up tracks like "Faith" and "Open Skies" (itself with a bit of the drama shown by groups like Coldplay or the Panics). The compositions seem to be trying for a type of timelessness played out in a lot of U2's work, simultaneously dating itself against a contemporary musical backdrop while using more universal ideas of tension, counterpoint, and the drama built by just the right chord progressions. Reamonn tends to come off as more stereotypical than groundbreaking in their attempts, but they seem to be on a good path for greater things with their eponymous release. Besides, if things don't work out, Barack Obama is already part of the band (after opening for his speech in Berlin, the band inducted Obama as an honorary member).