This Philadelphia post punk band has been
pummeling our ears since 2006, and this latest album is no exception. Vocalist
Pat McCay sounds a bit like Greg Sage at times, and I swear the band is
channeling Adrian Borland at his darkest moments. Yet there are moments of pure
beauty when the light bursts through, such as the almost cheery sounding “New
Year’s Eve”. Everyone will hear something different, though I doubt anyone will
miss Joy Division as an influence. I also appreciate the thoughtful lyrics on this
song, they sound almost wistful.
“This Time” is mesmerizing and glum, and this is
where the guitar work reminded me of The Sound. The plain-spoken lyrics are
eerie and the guitar trips underneath like a dark current. “Can We Skip This?”
is lush by comparison, and there’s an uptick in positive energy. “Everything
You Feel Good About” is grand and throws down a bit of New Order panache,
especially in that familiar bass line. Is Peter Hook on board? It definitely
has single potential!
“Wound” meanders down a dark wave path and I love
the repeating piano line that darts in and out of the mix. “Worry” hovers on
the edges of psych with its watery guitar lines flowing like silver liquid. It
reminds me a bit of the times when Robert Smith flirted with spacey textures.
Pretty stuff!
“Never Say Goodbye” is a swell, synth pop tune,
sounding quite unlike the band’s other tunes here. “How Does it Feel”? has a
stately, dark structure, and guitars barely restrain their rage as misery pours
down on the listener. I love the hard charging cadence here, a marked
difference to the somewhat lighter fare earlier on. “Discard” is the filigreed
coda, an almost warm and fizzy slice of dream pop that hints at future
directions for this talented group. Nice work all around, and recommended from
this picky scribe.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Klisiewicz
Fall Protection releases on Friday, October
26, 2018.
