Prana's 'Moments'
Words by John Degnan
Photo by J. Lockridge
Prana is a group of musicians who hold a deep respect for each other and their musical talents. Paul Poltz, Dalton Muzzy, Peter Lafreniere, Josh Glass, and Sam Crawford have been making music in one incarnation or another in the Burlington scene for more than four years. Prana, their most current outfit, is a powerhouse of vocal harmonies, memorable choruses, and soaring electric guitars.
“We wanted to capture our live sound,” explains percussionist Dalton Muzzy about their newly released album. Available at record stores around the Burlington area, 'Moments' was released on March 17th to local applause. According to lead vocalist Paul Poltz, Moments represents “evolutionary developments in musicianship” for Prana. That’s hardly hyperbole.
'Moments' grows on you. At first listen, it sounds like straight-forward rock and roll. Listen again and it opens up to you like a favorite novel from years past. First and foremost, the songs are tight. This is no piece of sloppy, fuzz driven garage rock, but a carefully constructed, thought-out body of music. The track “I Ain’t Got No Where To Go” has a chorus that is so catchy the listener can’t help but sing along. “Yesterday People” has a great interplay and balance between all five musical voices (shout-out to whoever did their mixing). All of the songs on the album feature noticeable dynamics that accompany professional levels of musicianship. 'Moments' is a solid piece of music and really captures what bassist Peter LaFreniere calls a “big stage sound.”
Now that their album is out, Prana is ready to play live (not they ever stopped playing live, really). The band just bought a van and plan of touring this summer to clubs and festivals alike. Prana regularly plays venues in and around Burlington including Manhattan Pizza Pub, ½ Lounge, and Higher Ground. Their next performance is April 13th at the famous rock club Nectars in downtown Burlington. More information about Prana and their new album 'Moments' can be found online at:
http://www.myspace.com/pranavermont http://www.facebook.com/thebandprana http://www.thebandprana.com