Requia

Requia, the promising debut album from the Santa Barbara-based group Gravity Willing, is a muscular blend of intense, brooding, guitar-based power pop and alt-rock. Lyrically the songs are fervent -- searching, yearning for meaning, and at times verging on raw-edged "fallen Christian" themes (e.g., "The Crusader's Song" and "Fallen Away"). Nick de Sieyes' lead vocals cover the same range as the likes of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, albeit in a somewhat more subdued setting. Acoustic colors and sonorous harmonies are frequently integrated into the standard alternative rock formula, giving it substantial mainstream pop cred. For a self-produced debut, the album is impressively polished and mature for its years. An honest, emotional effort keenly targeted at college-radio audiences.