{"id":83614,"date":"2019-06-06T15:00:47","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T14:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=83614"},"modified":"2023-04-07T14:18:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T13:18:15","slug":"review-chon-chon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-chon-chon\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: CHON \u2013 CHON"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-83615\" src=\"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Chon-Cover-compressor-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Chon-Cover-compressor-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Chon-Cover-compressor.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> You can\u2019t help but be captured by <strong>CHON<\/strong>&#8216;s progressive take on sparkly rock music, earning the San Diego group quite a reputation. However, with this self-titled album, they\u2019re re-setting their sound, but you don\u2019t need to worry, they know where their strengths lie.<\/p>\n<p>Previous album \u2018<em>Homey<\/em>\u2019 saw the band experiment with a laid-back electronic sound. Incorporating vocal samples, guest singers and a relaxing vibe. Those elements are gone. In their place is something of a return to their roots. \u2018<em>Ghost<\/em>\u2019 wastes in time reintroducing you to Mario Camarena\u2019s wizard-like skill. Rapid sweeps of glimmery lead guitar are his calling card and they\u2019re used to full effect here, and everywhere else. Erick Hansel is no slouch either and their interweaving guitars quickly re-establish the bright rock sound. At times, like on \u2018<em>Rosewood<\/em>\u2019, it feels like slipping into an old suit. Yes, it\u2019s comfortable, but fits well and is remarkably sharp.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"CHON - Peace\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YlvEKr04vOc?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Given the band\u2019s style, the songs are inherently atmospheric. Yet, here they trade heavily on big shifts in sound. Particularly on \u2018<em>Peace<\/em>\u2019, which repeatedly catches you out with abrupt twists and turns. It\u2019s so sure-footed you can almost feel the whole band grinning at their invention. This is no bad thing as even the rhythm section plays lovely subtle flourishes, but it does feel like they\u2019ve used their tricks before. Hence, it doesn\u2019t quite reach the high points of their previous work.<\/p>\n<p>Although less daring, the new songs do strike hard.\u00a0 \u2018<em>If<\/em>\u2019 is quintessential, crammed with interlaced rapid guitar runs and a sprinkling of magic dust. While the fast, rockier sound of \u2018<em>Spike<\/em>\u2019 and staccato opening to \u2018<em>Pitch Dark<\/em>\u2019 really stand out.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, with their self-titled album, <strong>CHON<\/strong> confidently step back into their comfort zone. It\u2019s a place of fast, intelligent, quick-thinking music, so although comfortable, it\u2019s rich and rewarding too.<\/p>\n<p>3.5\/5<\/p>\n<p>\u2018<em>CHON<\/em>\u2019 \u00a0by <strong>CHON<\/strong> is released on 7th June on <strong>Sumerian Records<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CHON<\/strong> links: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chonofficial.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CHONofficial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/musicofchon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/chonofficial.bandcamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bandcamp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Words by Ian Kenworthy (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhisperingSand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@WhisperingSand<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;CHON confidently step back into their comfort zone\u2026 rich and rewarding&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":83639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[5879,1517,15621,421],"class_list":["post-83614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews","tag-album-reviews","tag-chon","tag-ian-kenworthy","tag-sumerian-records"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - 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