Grace Hotel
  Overall rating: ++-

Album Reviews

Let's just get down to it. This is a pop group with great potential, but a 12 year old who sings on just about every song. If we're talking production quality, or beats, Duron has it. If we're talking catchy hooks than can get stuck in your head, you'll find those too. But is what you really want is come clear mature voices, keep looking. I just couldn't stand this little 12 year old boy who isn't old enough to like girls singing about love and all that other pop stuff.

So how do things pan out? Like this. The first three tracks or so (You and Only You, Silver Lining, and On the Wings) are amazing. You could listen to an entire album that sounded like that all day. You'd be hard pressed to find something cleaner and poppier...but from there things go down hill (and again, I blame this on 12 year old Dez). Who Is Your God takes you back about 15 years to the mid 80's and adds a pop twist to it. Not my thing, but you might be into it. If you really like pop, then go and grab this album, but if you're tired of the cookie cutter music, I'd shy away from "Silver Lining".

On the up side: The beats are fresh and poppy enough to keep you entertained.

On the down side: Someone gave a 12-year-old boy a record deal.

~ Acaza

For the three siblings that comprise pop trio Duron, family is the name of the game. Mom was once a studio musician & vocalist in L.A., and the group takes its stage name from their surname. Eldest sibling DawnCheré was once signed to Pamplin Records (may it rest in peace) and had begun working on her solo debut when the opportunity came to record a trio album with brothers Dez and Denny Rodney ("D-Rod").

All three siblings get a chance in the spotlight, although it's DawnCheré who gets the lion's share. In fact, several of the tracks on Silver Lining came from that solo album she was working on, and have been embellished with vocals from Dez and D-Rod. The album is mostly teen-pop, with detectable traces of hip-hop and techno/dance. The lyrics remain very elementary, never venturing outside of generic Christian themes.

The members of Duron have high hopes to connect with their own generation with the message of Christ. I wish them the best in that endeavor, but I just can't get excited about Silver Lining. There's nothing novel here. Every drum loop, every beat, every vocal intonation -- it's all been done before.

~ Robert Parrish