New Transit Direction

An interesting listen to be sure, Wonderful Defense Mechanisms plays around in the grey area between rock and emo, at times sounding like Jawbox, and at others, Quicksand channelled through the Hives. With some unique drum effects and very "room-y” sounding vocals, the sounds on this album are as interesting as the songs themselves. Melodic vocals persist in spite of what feels like a constant tugging in an atonal direction, as singer Josh Asher constantly pushes the boundaries of his voice, rarely leaving the upper register. Musically matching this push to the extreme, the rest of the New Transit Direction play with a distinct fervour and conviction. With a sound that truly is a step in a new direction, this is a band that live up to their name.