Twin Atlantic - Free

Twin Atlantic - Free
Genre: Alt. Rock/Indie
Rating: 4/10

Twin Atlantic are one of those bands you're going to love or hate. Their mix of Alt. Rock and anthemic Indie pop deffinately owes much to the likes of other Scottish bands like Biffy Clyro leaving many to dismiss them as nothing but a poor mans substitute. The main herdle for most alongside the bands slightly derivative sound is the vocals of lead singer Sam McTrusty which can prove too twee and high pitched for many. The band first burst onto the scene in 2007 and thanks to lady luck managed to land support slots with some huge bands like the smashing pumpkins that boosted their profile immensely. As the band went from strength to strength boosting both their local and international reputation they released 2009's mini album Vivarium to critical acclaim. The bands mini album was an 8 track cd filled to the brim with poppy hooks reverb drenched solo's and showcased the bands potential to provide inventive Alt. Rock with real depth and vision. Unfortunately this years debut full length does quite the opposite.

One of the main problems with this new album stems from the album's length. Whilst Vivarium was concise and to the point Free feels drawn out and samey. The band seem to have cut back on effects and adornments making each track blend into a mess of identi-kit rock by numbers. Without the extra dimensions and depth that the complex guitar work of their debut provided the vocals and lyrics of McTrusty are brought to the forefront and unfortunately they just don't stand up on their own. Another issue is that each song seems to attempt to over reach. The band seem to drive every song on the album to build to a huge euphoric chorus moment which is by no means a bad thing but they fall short as a result of employing this formula on every track cheapening the whole experience. The album is not completely devoid of worth however as the title track "Free" see's the band return to form with prowess and a beautiful melody.  "Crash Land" is also another highlight as it see's the band step away from the over the top cheeriness in favour for a stripped back acoustic guitar and introspective string section. Unfortunately 3 or 4 good tunes is not enough to justify buying the album.

Overall this album has very little to offer in comparison to the bands earlier release. Whilst a few gems are present they are too few and far between to make this album a solid release. My advice would be to try before you buy and just cherry pick the best bits.

Download: "Free" "Crash Land"