When the term “side project” is thrown out in the public most people’s reactions are quite speculative. Throughout the past few years there has been a number of “Supergroups” that have formed and have failed miserably, though there are now two that stand out and surpass the “supergroup” and “side project name. The first being Them Crooked Vultures (featuring Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and John Paul Jones) and followed in a close second is Crosses (featuring Chino Moreno of Deftones, Shaun Lopez of Far/The Revolution Smile, and Chuck Doom)
In late 2011, Crosses released their first EP. This collection was met with great anticipation and was quite intriguing to fans of all the members involved. From the moment the first song “This Is A Trick” kicks in there is no denying that this was going to move you. Every ounce of the individuals working on this project is included in the songs especially my personal favorite (from the first E.P. “The Holy Ghost”. It’s a wonderful blend of electronic music mixed with the warm subtleties of alternative, all the while showcasing the talents of Chino Moreno as a vocalist and lyricist and Shaun Lopez’s guitar and production work.
Come to January of 2012 and E.P. number two was released, continuing where the first one left off. The collection of songs on the second E.P. have a more live feel to them allowing the listener to really grasp the raw feel but at the same time have the same effect that they felt from the first E.P. The stand out track “Telepathy” has a fun good time dance vibe to it that makes you want to get up and and start moving.
Crosses recently went out on tour and I had the wonderful opportunity of getting to witness their first show at the Glass House in Pomona. They played every song they had including the B-side “The Years” and a new track that had the audience silent just listening. While it was the first show, and of course there were the fair share of routine sound issues, they certainly didn’t disappoint. Their live band consisted of Chris Robyn (from FAR on drums), Dino Campanella (from Dredg on drums/keyboards), Jono Evans (From Endless Hallway on guitar/keyboards), Chuck Doom (bass), Shaun Lopez (guitar/keyboards) and Chino Moreno (vocals).
The set while short, sure hit every note and struck a chord with all in attendance. There is no denying that once these guys have a few more shows under their belts, Crosses will be one amazing entity live.
Do yourself a favor and head over to their site www.crossesmusic.com and download both E.P.’s you will be completely satisfied that you did, and it will leave you wanting more from them soon!
audioeclectica 