Revered pop-punks Motion City Soundtrack have made a powerful return with their latest full-length, Panic Stations. Loaded from front to back with memorable moments and irresistible hooks, it's a well-written 12-song set.
The band's ability to balance bouncy uptempo numbers like opener "Anything at All" with more measured, deliberate tracks like "TKO" and "Lose Control" keeps the overall package varied and engaging. Songs like "Gravity" and "I Can Feel You" go back and forth between subdued moments in where Justin Pierre's vocals — which are wide-ranging and flexible throughout the record — are the focus, before shifting into multilayered, guitar-heavy choruses.
Motion City Soundtrack's signature synthesizers are more prominent on this album than some of their other more recent releases, and surprisingly enough, rather than coming off as hokey easycore-ism, it adds an extra layer of texture to the overall sound. Panic Stations is an easy and enjoyable listen, with all of the energy and dynamism that fans have come to love and expect from Motion City Soundtrack.
(Epitaph)The band's ability to balance bouncy uptempo numbers like opener "Anything at All" with more measured, deliberate tracks like "TKO" and "Lose Control" keeps the overall package varied and engaging. Songs like "Gravity" and "I Can Feel You" go back and forth between subdued moments in where Justin Pierre's vocals — which are wide-ranging and flexible throughout the record — are the focus, before shifting into multilayered, guitar-heavy choruses.
Motion City Soundtrack's signature synthesizers are more prominent on this album than some of their other more recent releases, and surprisingly enough, rather than coming off as hokey easycore-ism, it adds an extra layer of texture to the overall sound. Panic Stations is an easy and enjoyable listen, with all of the energy and dynamism that fans have come to love and expect from Motion City Soundtrack.
