The sophomore effort from the young British post-hardcore quintet follows a period of injury and depression that almost saw frontwoman Becca Macintyre quit the band. Thank heaven she didn't, because this album is, more than anything, a showcase for her as she grows as a vocalist and explores the limits of her range. That's not to say the boys in the band have nothing to do, though -- far from it. But this album is quite a different beast from their debut
The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets. The most immediate and noticeable change is that it's much more straightforward; gone are the stop-on-a-dime mathcore structures and tempo changes of yore. It's produced by the legendary Gil Norton -- probably best known for his work with
Foo Fighters -- who brings a great big stadium rock feel. But while the structure of the songs is more straight-ahead, there are still enough interesting elements present that fans won't be disappointed. Opener "Play" is a case in point, melding an intricate arrangement to a big chorus, with vocal loops, shrieking guitar, blasting drums, and gnarly fuzz bass (which is liberally used throughout the record). Macintyre's voice takes center stage on the pop-oriented triptych of "Habits," "Meant to Be," and "Major System Error," really showing off her range as she swoops from breathless gasps and falsetto peaks to deeper notes and theatrical yelps. The latter has one of the most melodic choruses on the record, and a high-tempo, hard-rocking rhythm that never lets up. "Insomnia" slows the pace down with a spooky psychedelic guitar intro and Macintyre's eerie, childlike vocal; "I feel better with you/You're in my head" she croons. Likewise the haunting, beatless "Me & You," which begins with her voice floating like a ghost over ambient washes and a beautiful arpeggiated guitar lick, before she bares her soul with one of her most impassioned vocal performances. Closer "Run with the Rhythm" starts with a chiming, repeated guitar figure and a multi-tracked, almost choral vocal before bursting into joyous, triumphant life. Tracks like "Lost in Translation" and "Like a Battery" have a real old-school, balls-to-the-wall "rawk" sound which at times feels a bit simplistic, but is still a lot of fun. It sounds as if the band have outgrown the need to prove themselves with overt technicality and are happy to just enjoy rocking out. ~ John D. Buchanan