Melody & Tyler's first full-length album, "Breaking and Bending," is both soothing and spine-tingling. The Utah-based duet mixes elements of pop and country with all the goodness of acoustic rock to present a compilation of heart-wrenching songs.
Vocalist Melody Pulsipher's powerful and captivating voice not only produces goosebumps, but is capable of lulling one peacefully to sleep.
Paired with angsty post-breakup lyrics, Pulsipher's voice could be thought of like the love child of angry rocker Alanis Morissette and gentle songstress Jewel, with a pinch of Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy's softness. Pulsipher's eerily beautiful voice strings the listener along throughout the emotion-filled album.
Along with Pulsipher's melodic voice, Tyler Forsberg partners her great vocals with catchy guitar grooves and rhythmic percussion sets that string the songs together and keeps them both catchy and engaging.
Pulsipher emits mostly tenderness throughout the album, sounding vulnerable and broken. Songs such as "Once You're Gone," "Sad Face" and "Everything Else" exemplify those great sorrowful feelings from a breakup, making "Breaking and Bending" a great coping album.
Her angstier side shows up in tracks like "The Devil in Me" and "I've Been" with stabbing lyrics and harsh guitar riffs by Forsberg. Pulsipher also has a rasp in her voice that she uses to her advantage in when portraying more passion in songs like "I've Been."
While Pulsipher's voice is unique and the lyrics can be set aside from today's generic pop music about partying and skin-deep love, "Breaking and Bending" can sometimes sound like a blur of one really long song.
The melodies and rhythms are so similar and easily blend into each other that it makes it difficult to differentiate between the songs. Pulsipher also only exudes one style in her singing making the album, while pleasant to listen to, almost boring after a few songs.
Melody & Tyler present great passion in "Breaking and Bending," but leave the audience wanting something more.
Tiffany Do can be reached at tiffany.do@student.shu.edu.
