The Junction @ CMW 2007

Background/Composition: The Junction are a trio of sunny indie rockers who know how to write a damn fine hook. The guys fall somewhere between Bedouin Soundclash's upbeat rock and The Meligrove Band's singalong-heavy indie pop.

Grade: 80

Comment: The Junction seemed to be one of the big draws on the bill that night, and they certainly kept everyone in good spirits. The catchy nature of the band's sound got everyone dancing and singing along, and the guys reflected their music's laid-back nature. The guys kept most of their more growly songs out of the set, instead focusing on songs like "Frequencies" to keep the audience chilled out. This made for a few lulls in their set, but the crowd loved it anyway.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Exceeds skill and knowledge expectations, i.e. rocked us so hard we peed our pants.
70-79: Achieves required skills and knowledge. Meets rock 'n' roll standard.
60-69: Demonstrates some skills. Approaches rock 'n' roll standard.
50-59: Demonstrates some required skills and knowledge in a limited way.
00-50: Has not demonstrated required skills or knowledge.

Learning Skills: E=Excellent, G=Good, S=Satisfactory, N=Sad Really

Oral And Visual Communication
Eye Contact: E
Pronounciation: E
Stage Presence: G
Stage Banter: G
Image: G
Appearance: G
Use Of Stage: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: The Junction are almost always all smiles. Everyone in attendance was automatically reflecting Brett Jackson's perennial grin. The guys got the crowd to sing and clap along with minimal effort. The Horseshoe audience seemed to be the perfect fit for the trio, as they were there to chill out and the band wanted nothing more than to do the same.

Musical Analysis
Level Of Participation: G
Problem Solving: G 
Teamwork: G
Work Habits: G
Organization: G
Audience Participation: E
Sound: E
Composition: G
Songs: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: The band's music always seems to straddle the differences between their fan demographics, with half their songs being somewhat aggressive rockers to appease the screamo fans, and the other half being sunny indie jams to relax the older crowd. They stuck to the softer numbers this time, which seemed to suit them a bit better.

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: G
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: G
Sexiness: G
Haircut: G
Indie Rock Footwear: G
Nods To Disposible Fashion: G
Cool Equipment: G
Level Of Inebriation: S
Actual Ability: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: It's fun to see a band completely personify the music they make, and The Junction are just that kind of band. In the future, it would be nice to see them a little more capable of handling the dichotomy in their sound, instead of extricating their heavier side completely. But for the evening, things worked out perfectly.