CD Review - Fallan Soldier, Above the Call of Duty

Fallan Soldier show tomorrow, Friday July 24
(this poster was provided by Harris Allan).

Above image is Harris Allan, Fallan Soldier.

Above image is the CD cover for Above The Call Of Duty.
(both photos provided by Dedication Entertainment)

Fallan Soldier is Harris Allan, a native of the Vancouver area who has a number of acting credits behind him. His debut CD, Above the Call of Duty, is a mixture of pop rock, hip hop, rap and some fused reggae in the mix. It's fresh, upbeat and exceptional for it's sound performance by Harris. His vocals are reminiscent of Eminen but are not quite as controversial. They are more personal and straight up as they hit your ears consistently.

The CD begins with “A Big Front” which starts out in a hip-hop/rap way but then it morphs into pop rock/hip-hop as the chorus starts and goes back to hip-hop/rap. The transition of this is seamless and is very effective not only in this song but in most of the songs on this CD. “The Edge of Disaster” is a pure hip-hop song that speaks about just being on the edge of something that is self-destructive, going down in flames, crashing and burning. I like this song particularly for the layering of 3 sets of vocals which is very effective for the song in its final dying seconds. “60 In The Tank” is a slow 4 beat rap song that talks about sacrifice to get where or what you want. I like the references to pop culture in this song – vampires, were-wolfs and Cyndi Lauper. “Suppressed” clearly reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with that funky late 80's early 90's reggae-inspired vibe. It speaks of drug use, making a million dollars and ends suddenly after saying “I know what it's like to be so stressed”. “Fights” starts off strong and has a pop rock feel to it in the beginning and in the chorus, then it goes back to rap. I like this component in Harris' music. This song is basically fighting with your partner or a friend, and how there is a reason for some fights that take place through a lifetime. “Hands Up High” has a mellow slow start and then launches right into some heavy beats of hip-hop/rap. This is a really well constructed song that breaks in the second and third verses. This song is about balance in one's life, and how to achieve that by being yourself and to support your friends and family. “Blood on the Pin” is my favorite song on this CD. It has a real rock pop sensibility mixed in with rap and hip-hop. This is the strongest song in this writer's opinion that moves into heavy guitars, almost like grunge, in the choruses. Harris actually sings very well and this one song really reflects how strong his vocals are. It speaks of the dark side of life and how to try to balance the dark side with the light side, and how we all deal with this issue. “Fallan Solier” has a short dreamy start and hits you with slow rap lyrics in the first verse. It's a song about personal issues on falling from the top and how your urge to succeed in your chosen field motivates you to rise above it again. The music is solid. “Morning” has a darker tone musically and is forlorn by the slow minor keys used in this song. It has a dark overall tone with being sick and tired of life and having no motivation whatsoever, which anyone can relate to. “Against Me” is about pleasing the person you love but having to constantly struggle between the pleasure and the pain of a relationship. This song is musically well put together and reminds me of a pop rap song. The layered vocals work well. “At Night” is a slow beat low tempo song that is haunting musically speaking. The laid back vocals work well and the song speaks about longing for something that you once had but lost. The final song “You Were Alive” is a fast paced, dance along, short song to get up and move to. This song reminds me of feeling helpless and having lost hope in a relationship gone bad but neither person can leave. Tragic lyrics and strong vocals propel this song, and it ends the CD well and leaves you wondering if Harris will pick up with the next CD where this one left off. Overall its a great piece of work and worth at least one listen through.

If you are in the Vancouver area, Fallan Soldier is playing a show on Friday July 24 @ Boss Nightclub, 1320 Richards Street with guest DJ's. A night of hip hop, rap and house music - the flyer for this show is listed at the top of this post.

The following links will take you to various pages for FALLAN SOLDIER:

Fallan Soldier - Dedication Entertainment

Fallan Soldier - MySpace

Fallan Soldier - follow on Twitter

Fallan Soldier - Facebook