These Green Eyes - Paramedic (song review) |Blackledge Music, Relapse to Recovery, 2009| 
This quintet, founded in New Haven, Connecticut comes up with emotional music based on melodic alt-rock arrangements. These aspects of songwriting have been playing an important role in many radio rotation lists throughout time. A fact which remains true regardless of the daily program schedule being pop or rock oriented. Most ordinary listeners don't require distracting music to be touched by its message and it seems the musicians who comprise the line up of These Green Eyes had this in mind when they were writing the song "Paramedic".
“Paramedic” is a short track (3:47) and basically begins with no intro. Memorable verses come instantly and they are filled with Colin's vocals along with a rhythmic mix of guitars performed by Jeff and Greg, drums by Mark and bass by Zach. Layered guitars play in harmony during the choruses and shift in and out of edgy rhythms during the verses and breakbeats. Also, the mood of the song changes at 2:00 with the bass guitar providing the melodic backbone of the juncture while the vocalist sings melodies in alto.
The topic of the song seems to underline the importance of rescuing people's lives. Paramedics, aside from fire brigades and police are the first responders who improve a victim's diagnosis in case of an emergency. Of course survival time is up to an individual's body resistance and own will to live, but good care may improve their chances of recovery.
Thus, the idea behind the song "Paramedic" could fit well into a documentary about people dealing with regional or national range disasters such as floods, hurricanes, plane crashes, shootings, etc. or devastating personal traumas like depression, suicide, divorce and many others. If this song were to be utilized in the soundtrack of a movie it would not only put an accent on the most important work of emergency teams, but also soothe the cinematic aspects of disturbing scenes that outline the reality of an accident before things return to normal. There are no brooding moods though.
The idea behind "Paramedic" is a thought-provoking one, but the arrangements and compositional aspects may not be enough to stir the interest of a high maintenance listener. It's undoubtedly a song fitting many popular radio set lists (over thirty US radio stations play this song on the air already), but it also has hit potential due to its musical repetitions and simple structures. If you need melodic music which expresses life issues of an important matter, this song is for you.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, November 6th, 2012. Proofreading: Scott M. Owens)
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