JP Carroll (ex-{Armed in Advance}, {Swerve City}) is back with his latest album as Arrays, yet again proving what a talent he is as Patience Way takes us on a journey through different styles of melodic rock, often with buzzsaw guitars, and always with hooks and a commercial understanding missing from many other releases. Many of the songs on this could happily find their way onto radio, as even when he is doing his best Devin Townsend impression the vocals and licks keep us tuned into what he is doing. JP has built a reputation over the years for being not only a fine musician and songwriter but also a great producer, and Arrays allows him to show off all these talents and the result is something which never sounds like a project from one man but rather is a full-blown band out there gigging and building the tightness which only comes from serious stage time.
He brings in many different elements, from the aforementioned Townsend to Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, while local bands such as {Written By Wolves} and {Coridian} are also in the mix. His vocals are often melodic, yet there are also times when he screams his angst to the world such as on the verse to Stuck, while the chorus is quite different. There are at least four different vocal treatments on this one track alone, all from JP remember, who shows he certainly does not need the assistance of an outside producer to get the best out of his songs as this grooves and bounces with real menace. I was a big fan of 2020’s Light Years (I haven’t heard the debut), but Patience Way just takes everything to the next level – the guitars hit that much harder, the vocals are that much stronger.
I loved the debut single, Obsidian Oceans, which is still very much a firm favourite, but is it the best song here? I am no longer sure, as every song is a winner and the one I am playing is the one l like most! This album screams quality from the opening commercial blaster which is Pictures with its double-tracked vocals and dynamic bridge through to the final “Baaah” of the intense Black Sheep. This is a Kiwi rock album which combines musicianship, songs, and production into a neatly delivered package wrapped up in a bow with a note which says “Play me. Loud!”
Rating: 8/10
