Bill Madden is known for being an up and coming singer-songwriter with a strong activist point of view. Madden has matured his musical sound and modernized it for his most recent release New Religion but stays true to his viewpoints and musical roots that he developed many years ago.
New Religion is a different type of indie album, as it features grander production and feels more modern but is still able to feature the lyrics which tell a story throughout the album. His indie rock 'n' roll sound is accompanied by sweeping melodies and cathedral like rifts that echo that of rock 'n' roll legends but he brings the album back to being personal with his lyrics which express his different view points and emotions.
It is Madden's at times haunting vocal performance that helps to pull together the different instrumental influences that can be felt on this record. He uses his vocal performance to help tell the story he has written through his lyrics and delivers emotions with each note. It is that passion and ability to tell a story which makes this album feel fresh and interesting for indie music fans.
Much of the current indie landscape features low energy and simple melodies but Madden pushes the boundaries and explores new musical influences while increasing the energy with every track on New Religion. At times the album might feel over the top and heavily influences by different cultures but after listening a few times, it becomes clear that Madden's visual is to use his music to tell a story and this passion is something that can be felt and heard on each individual track which comes together to tell a larger story on New Religion.
Stand out tracks on the album include, "Mother," "Easy" and "I See Them."
##