_{By Sammy Collier}

If there is one band that made me obsessed with music from Utah, it’s Cinders. I remember stumbling across them on YouTube before I moved to Utah from Washington. I listened to “Moody Blues”, and I was instantly hooked. Because of them, I was introduced to many different bands from this talented state I love.

I heard them perform at Kilby Court the first month I moved to Utah, and it was a dream come true. And boy, their live performances will rock your socks off. I will always be thankful to Cinders for introducing me to the wonderful world of music in Deseret. 

Even though the band has changed since I first heard them (it’s now a trio consisting of Montana Smith, Adrian De La Cruz, and Brad Bennett), this album is just as memorable. Cinders has always had a distinct way of capturing the listener with their distinct sound.

Despite a smaller lineup, the trio has managed to still sound like a band of six. The way Smith sings (and yells) helps you feel so much of his pure emotion in the music. De La Cruz is probably the most captivating bassist I have ever seen live. Not only is he an extremely talented musician, but he steals the show on stage. If you want to know what I mean, watch this video. And to be frank, I believe Bennett is one of the best drummers in the state of Utah. 

Cinders packed songs into this album that anyone with a quarter-life crisis would understand. The stress of growing up, dealing with the responsibilities of the day, dealing with relationships, and feelings of inadequacy. 

I have a few favorite tracks from this album. “Growing Up” is one that just hits you right in the face when you turn it on. If there is any song that captures the sound of Cinders in one go it would be this. From the ridiculously catchy chorus to the yelling in the background, it is Cinders at their best. This song is all about the struggles of growing up, which is something a lot of us can understand. I definitely relate to the line, “I’m old enough to know that I’m not who I’d thought I’d be by now. Growing up shouldn’t even be allowed.” 

The line in this album that has stuck with me the most, however, is from “The Back Seat.”

But I feel like I am dying just like I was yesterday.
It always seems like and almost feels like
I’m not a better person just because you say.

It perfectly puts to words the feeling of being with someone you love but feeing so inadequate in their presence. It is something I have felt often, and this song has helped me feel like I am not alone in that feeling.

The last song on the album is “Still Alive.” It is a great closing song and helps you feel like you just finished traveling on a journey with the band. Even though life is tough and confusing, we are strong enough to still be alive. 

If I have one critique for the band (and honestly, I don’t feel qualified to share this critique) it’s that sometimes their songs can sound too similar. The band has found a formula that makes each song on its own sound beautiful, but when combined into an album the formula becomes apparent. Basically, a lot of their songs have a section where they repeat a phrase over and over and the music builds over time. They do it really, really well – and, again, in isolation it’s great – but when it happens over and over across a whole album, it can grow stale.

That being said, the first Cinders album as a trio was a major success and shows that the band is here to stay. Personally, that is something that I am very happy about because of my history with this great band. I am excited to hear more from them and to hear them venture out into new sounds and new stories.

Make sure to follow Cinders on Instagram and check out my favorite song from the record, “The Back Seat,” below.