This album is maybe a little more ansty and teenage relateable. That is at least partly to do with when it came into my life. The Classic Crime is a great example of the kind of rock and pop-punk that was floating around at the time. I had the opportunity to see them live and they had a great stage presence. I remember the taste of the air and the way the music played on the atmosphere. It's a little cleaner than earlier punk or grunge and a litte dirtier than some of the rock or pop-rock. But, it would be hard to ignore the influence that they had on the sound of this album. I like how it captures a really good tension point. There is angst, sadness, and anger balanced against this sense of optimism and absurdist joy. I love that it carries on about how meaningful music is. I love how loud and hard it goes. I love that it just lets it all out.

I think these are all phenomenal tracks. Even barring the nostalgia I have for them. I would say they feel rather 'period correct.' I'm reminded of my feelings for some of the early Foo Fighers albums. That said it is all great to listen to. I think it holds up. "A Perfect Voice" is a great power opening. It's about singing anyway. It's about music. It has these great heavy drums and chiming, shimmering guitar work. "Solar Powered Life" is a real rocker with a little cowbell. "Four Chords" Is another song about music. A sort of reflection on mortality or ennui tempered by the saving grace of four chords. "The Happy Nihilist" is a similarly angsty song with great build and plenty of contrary points in it. "Different Now" has a sweet picking pattern and all the angsty howling you could ask for. The overall characteristic of these tracks is balance. It is a careful balance between some powerful forces too. The rhythm and lead guitar are powerful and distinct. Then the drums pounding out often quite complex rhythms. All competing with the howling lyrics. I think this is accomplished well.

This gets a solid recommend from me for just how tight it is. I've always had a hit or miss relationship with heavier and harder hitting music. In reality I'm not sure this even qualifies as overly heavy. Some of The Classic Crime's earlier work (Which I can also recommend) is probably not even this heavy. This strikes such great balance. It feels as heavy as the topics and themes of the tracks require. I don't find the power detracts or distracts from the songs. But, I think again what draws me to this album is the tension between optimism and frustration. It mimicsd life in our search for silver linings. I just know that these four chords (and many like them) will keep us all living on.