Blake Schaefer: Between Two Worlds

Blake Schaefer: Between Two Worlds
Blake Schaefer is known more as the guitarist/songwriter for Kingstreet who had a minor modern rock radio hit in 2005 with “In N’ Out.” For those that do not remember, the song was sort of a generic 90s sounding energetic rock song. It was really nothing special. Six years later, Schaefer is releasing his debut solo album, Between Two Worlds with the hope that it is slightly more memorable.
Unfortunately it is hard to be memorable when Between Two Worlds is populated with the same generic 90s sound. The album’s lead single “Fortress” may have been named “song of the day” by 102x FM but it does not do much for me. The melody is a throwback to when Smashing Pumpkins owned the airwaves with its crunchy guitars and Schaefer giving the vocal performance his best Eddie Veddar impression. Shimmering keyboards are added to the chorus which are a bit unexpected but serve as nothing more than a distraction rather than adding anything significant to the song.
Sadly, there are no songs that are significantly better than “Fortress.” “Running (Are You Gonna Find Love?)” is a catchier song but there is something inauthentic about how poppy it is that makes it stick out on the album like a sore thumb.
In the end, the album as a whole seems very disappointing. The song writing is not bad but it is just so passe that it is hard to take seriously in a context of now. Despite being a forgettable single, if “In N’ Out” were on Between Two Worlds it would be the overwhelmingly best song on the album. That’s just a little sad.
Rating: 2.6/10
MP3: Blake Schaefer “Fortress”