The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEW MUSIC: COMBICHRIST RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE “NOT MY ENEMY” VIA OUT OF LINE MUSIC
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BLUTENGEL’S NEW VIDEO + SINGLE “FOREVER YOUNG” NOW AVAILABLE VIA OUT OF LINE MUSIC | ‘FOUNTAIN OF DESTINY’ ALBUM OUT MARCH 12
SPILL FEATURE: THE EXECUTIONERS ARE BACK! – A CONVERSATION WITH PAUL MAZURKIEWICZ OF CANNIBAL CORPSE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: AFI ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘BODIES’ DUE JUNE 11 VIA RISE RECORDS | SHARE TWO TRACKS “LOOKING TRAGIC” & “BEGGING FOR TROUBLE”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LYDIA LUCE – DARK RIVER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SLOPING – COMPLETED SONGS
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: PAPER ANTHEM – “SUNDAY”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BRAND NEW SINGLE FROM THE OFFSPRING IN ALMOST A DECADE “LET THE BAD TIMES ROLL” OUT VIA CONCORD RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA
SPILL NEW MUSIC: SLOTHRUST SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO FOR “CRANIUM” VIA DANGERBIRD RECORDS
SPILL NEW MUSIC: LUDOVICO TECHNIQUE “EMBRACE” YOU TILL THE END IN THEIR NEW MUSIC VIDEO
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BILL JR. JR. – “BLUE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: SENSES – “DROP YOUR ARMS”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: PERMAFROST – “FEMME FATALE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BUTCHER BABIES – “YORKTOWN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BEE APPLESEED – “ALL IS FORGIVEN”
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
Album Reviews
1
593
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GISUN - FIN
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPIRIT DIES FIRST - LOST AND FOUND

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PACIFIC RANGE – HIGH UPON THE MOUNTAIN

Pacific Range

Pacific Range
High Upon The Mountain
Curation Records

Thank goodness there are bands such as Pacific Range who are carrying on the tradition of the California/L.A. sound. They wear their influences on their sleeves, which is fine, because they take such influences and create their own distinct sound, adding a new chapter to the legacy. High Upon The Mountain is their second album, and their first for the new record label, Curation Records.

This is a straight ahead rock album, featuring strong melodies, tight instrumentation and musicianship, excellent production and personal lyrics. You can hear The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Grateful Dead, or even The Allman Brothers. There is even some very cool jamming and extended solos (check out the closing track, “Nothing Else More”, over seven minutes and every second is essential).

From beginning to end, this is a solid album that works on many levels. It is also an essential album for these times. Listen to  “Heartbeat Of Change”, you would almost think it was written in response to the global crisis, with lyrics such as “Things will be better farther on down the line/It’s true, it’s true”. Such optimism and hope is needed today. And set against a guitar driven backing, it is enough to bring a lump to the throat.

Throughout the album, Pacific Range channels other artists, such as Neil Young with “Santa Monica (Through The Canyon)”.  Again, this is not a criticism, merely that they have written a song that Neil Young would have been more than proud to have written. Throughout the album such artists float in and out the music.

High Upon The Mountain is an impressive album. It is clear that all the live playing and their experience has brought the band to this level. The album flows nicely, and it plays as an album from the 1970s or earlier. There are obvious singles, but when the songs are placed on the album (sequencing of this album is stellar) it all comes together for a very strong, cohesive album.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PACIFIC RANGE – HIGH UPON THE MOUNTAIN

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
9.3
8.0
Total Spill Rating
9.3
Total Fan Rating
7 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewscuration recordshigh upon the mountainpacific range
album review, album reviews, curation records, high upon the mountain, pacific range
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewscuration records
 
8.0
Lydia Luce

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LYDIA LUCE – DARK RIVER

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on February 26, 2021
Lydia Luce Dark River Independent Nashville is changing. No, it isn’t the quality of musicianship. Whether you like it or not, the Nashville sound is one of the best around. It is the [...]
 
9.0
Strawbs

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT

by Aaron Badgley on February 26, 2021
Strawbs Settlement Cherry Red Records The Strawbs released their self-titled debut in 1969, their first official album. This is their 27th release, and their second with this particular lineup. [...]
 
8.0
Sloping

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SLOPING – COMPLETED SONGS

by Dan Kennard on February 26, 2021
Sloping Completed Songs sound as language Lead songwriter of the band Scooterbabe, JJ Posway, has released a debut solo album under the name Sloping. It is called Completed Songs, and it is [...]
 
10
cEvin Key
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: cEvin Key AND THE SUBCONSCIOUS ELECTRONIC ORCHESTRA – RESONANCE

by Kathy Nichols on February 19, 2021
cEvin Key And The Subconscious Electronic Orchestra Resonance Artoffact cEvin Key’s fifth solo album, Resonance (formerly [...]
 
8.0
Creedence Clearwater Revival

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL – PENDULUM/MARDI GRAS (50TH ANNIVERSARY HALF-SPEED MASTERS)

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on February 12, 2021
Creedence Clearwater Revival Pendulum/Mardi Gras (50th Anniversary Half-Speed Masters) Craft Recordings Creedence Clearwater [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LYDIA LUCE – DARK RIVER
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SLOPING – COMPLETED SONGS
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: cEvin Key AND THE SUBCONSCIOUS ELECTRONIC ORCHE...
10
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL – PENDULUM/M...
8.0
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 2 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on February 18, 2021
72
 
Small Town Titans

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SMALL TOWN TITANS @ SMT HQ, YORK (PA)

by Gerrod Harris on February 6, 2021
33
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on January 7, 2021
388
 
Wardruna

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – ‘KVITRAVN’ PRESENTATION (ONLINE PERFORMANCE)

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
196
 
Evanescence

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: EVANESCENCE @ ROCK FALCON STUDIO, NASHVILLE (TN)

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
61
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
671
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
578
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
556
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
462
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
388
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK PISTOL FIRE – LOOK ALIVE
366
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIVE IN BOSTON, 1982: THE COMPLETE CONCERT
349
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: “SHAMELESS” STAR WILLIAM H. MACY RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “WHISKEY DELL” UNDER “WILLIE CREEKS” MONIKER
327
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
282
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHRIS CORNELL – NO ONE SINGS LIKE YOU ANYMORE
275
 
SPILL FEATURE: TRULY ORCHESTRATING HIS OWN LIFE – A CONVERSATION WITH RICK SPRINGFIELD
274
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
269
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE KINKS – LOLA VERSUS POWERMAN AND THE MONEYGOROUND, PART ONE: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION BOX-SET
257
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES