Copeland - In Motion (2005)

The line between "angelic" and "wimpy" is a pretty subjective one. The Militia Group calls Aaron Marsh's vocals "angelic" and "breathy" -- others might hear lightweight and wimpy. But there's no denying the beauty his throat generates when he's at his best, and he's at his best more often than not on Copeland's sophomore effort. In Motion is a surprisingly varied album, offering everything from the muscular emo attack of "No One Really Wins" to the waltz-time accordion-and-falsetto strangeness of "Kite." Although the band's configuration is the standard rock & roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums, the vocals are layered so elegantly that the band often sounds much bigger (notice in particular the very nicely arranged "Sleep" and "Love Is a Fast Song"); from time to time the band also brings in woodwinds and strings, which offer a highly effective counterpoint to the slabs of big guitar that generally dominate the sonic landscape. As an added surprise, the package includes a bonus disc that offers four acoustic versions of two songs each from In Motion and Beneath Medicine Tree. Strongly recommended.