Emotionalpunk.com
Media Review
Music Quality: 8.0
Production: 9.0
Originality: 7.5
Tracklisting
2. Nitetime Enemy
3. Loud
4. Chutes and Lasers
5. The Only Evidence
6. Lupus
7. Sheep In Your Head
8. Desiree, Safe!
9. Hey! Is for Horses
10. Operator
11. Safety in the Air
It should be obvious a certain modicum of musical ability is needed to be in a successful band. But there is always something intangible that separates the average music, from the beautiful; something about the way the musicians are able to interact, and create something greater than anyone of them could alone. Almost rough, raw rock, crafted with care, and infused with enough pop to have you dancing, toetapping, or at least sitting and bouncing your heal, with your hand drumming on your thigh. But at the same time, this a clean, polished album, filled with tight guitar hooks, textured and layered vocals, and thoughtful lyrics. The Transit War have given us a gem in their effort, “Miss Your Face”.
A high level of production and care has gone into creating an album, and a sound, that could be described as rough. So much care and attention is evident, layers and layers of vocals and voices, percussion, guitars, handclaps, and keys, songs that flow, move and grow. This is coming in praise of the musicianship and craftsmanship that has gone into the creation of an album. This is not to say this is revolutionary, or that the music itself is revolutionary. It is just commendable to see such an accessible, pop/punk/indie album; maybe this can rub off on young musicians, rather than the appeal of droning stadium rock that is becoming the norm.
This is upbeat, power rock, done well. With a certain dose of the melancholy, just enough to give them an edge. They never pound the hooks within a song into you, never expect the same droning noise to entertain you for three minutes without interruption, they have broken up their songs, building the tension and impetus within each song, mounting the excitement to a crescendo, then releasing it. They have crafted a song, just as a playwright, or a novelist crafts their own art. Sounds like it should be standard in music, huh? Maybe this is what happens when musicians are given the freedom to create the album they would like to.
One thing that really stood out to me, and shows obvious attention to detail and time in the studio, is the the layered and varied lyrical delivery, rarely is one voice singing alone. Echoed vocals, backup vocals, slightly delayed backups, yells, gang vocals, this album delivers remarkable diversity within the vocals.
There is something, beautiful and melodic, beneath the angular sound and pace of the music. This is not highbrow, elitist music. The lyrics, while effective, and rarely cliché, are nothing complicated, but are instead appropriately insightful, and fit the maturity of the sound.