Transit break the emo-pop formula and head in a pleasant, pleasurable, indie-centric direction for their second album on Rise,
Young New England. Their prior outing, 2011's
Listen & Forgive, was filled with heartfelt sincerity and now, with the distortion dialed back, Joe Boynton's nostalgic lyrics about lost love have a chance to shine through. The title track (an ode to drinking in their hometown, with the chorus "If you're too drunk to walk along the streets of cobblestone, you know Boston never drinks alone") and the bittersweet "So Long, So Long" play softer than the material on earlier releases, yet the hooks manage to stay anthemic and uplifting. "Weathered Souls" raises the tempo into a fiery song that shares in the same fun innocence as
Japandroids'
Celebration Rock. This blend of punk and chamber pop suits Transit well. Interesting to think that they once shared more in common with
Jimmy Eat World than
Arcade Fire. ~ Jason Lymangrover