SOPHYA THIRD WISH ALBUM MUTANTJASZE RELEASE: OCTOBER 10, 2006 REVIEW: DECEMBER 10, 2006

This album may bear the title of the band Sophya but it isn't them. No, rather their music has devolved into pretty standard alternative pop/rock. Something snapped with these three and I'm not on board at all. The vocals are strained, the melodies forced and the tempo is deliberately kept at a high pace.

In short, Sophya have abandoned the moody, intricate songcraft I loved, for a mainstream sound which has been done to death. They no longer have any distinction as a band having made a radio-friendly album like "Third Wish". If it gets them where they'd like to be as musicians, more power to them but I'm tuning them out which really is saying something as I absolutely loved their last album. I'm all for acts progressing but there's no envelope being pushed here, it's as though Sophya have just given up. Or worse, there are several more than overt overtures to that most hideous of genres: emo.

I hoped they would turn into not only an enigmatic musical presence, moreover, I thought that Sophya had the stamina to become highly influential; I hate to admit it but I was beyond wrong.

PETER MARKS

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