5x****"Songbird"**** could be considered restrained, like Jawbox scaled way back, and while propulsive, there is ample room for the vocal and instrumental melodies to play off each other. "Far From Now"**** builds on more of a rock riff and is more spacious that the preceding "Far From Now", but all of these tracks sound similar as they all play around a chromatic, which immediately sounds fresh compared to typical blues/folk/punk chord progressions, though the device itself become predictable, making these songs act better alone than in succession. Also, "Detour" and "Taken In" sound ordinary in comparison, despite some velociraptor-scary guitar noise early in the latter (unfortunately the second part of "Taken In" goes nowhere). The title song returns to the familiar chromatic tonality, but rhythmically more straightforward. "Second Of February"**** is similar, but is meatier than any other track, almost like the harmonically original riffs of Queensryche, though the repetition of the "she has too much already" coda wears thin. After this rocker the beautifully sung, evocative harmonies of ballad "Closed Call"**** are a welcome contrast. Though the album should have ended there, closer "Relief Sketch"**** builds subtly and intelligently to an inviting bridge (though it ends too abruptly), and taken on its own is enjoyable.
Comments