Hailing from the city of brotherly love, Ben Runyan (vocalist/keyboardist/programmer) and Jarrett Zerrer (vocals, guitar) forms the electro-pop duo that is City Rain. Musically, you can hear the combined influences of New Order and The Postal Service with a splash of some surf guitar and keyboards creating an ethereal soundscape. At the heart of all the electronic beats lies a very human core.

Montage is the 3rd EP and second release this year from the duo (their Watch Out -EP only came out this past April.) A lot of these songs carries an introspective theme of mortality and growth.

“Coming into my own, I’m the king of the throne and I’m going alone…” is the chorus of the EP’s opening title track and sets the tone for the release. “Big Boys Do Cry” was essentially a suicide song after a year of dealing with depression and loss.

The third track “Hearts on Fire” is an anthemic piano heavy tune with a middle-finger to their naysayers. “No Problems” recalls the better days our childhood and dealing with growing up. The EP closes with a playful collaboration with Outputmessage with “I Remember” which, again, deals with downbeat subject matter.

Montage shows maturity in the quality of the songwriting compared to the duo’s earlier release. Where as I’m Gone and Watch Out was more playful, Montage has a more lyrically serious tone. Wrought with heartache, City Rain is able to bring a wide array of tones and emotions from the cold electronic soundscape reminding us all that when there’s darkness, there will always be light.

-Henry Chung-

This post was written by:

Henry Chung – When Henry’s not busy updating this page and speaking in third person,he’s busy shooting and editing pictures from concerts and designing logos for bands.