Routineers

Routineers have a nice concept going where they split the vocals between two of the members. They don’t sing duets, just alternate between songs, adding texture to the backdrop of solid guitars that writhe out each song. Vocalist Amanda MacKaye is the one who really stands out on this record, though. Her voice is a force on its own, and the music plays out strongly, pushing her to the forefront. MacKaye seems to wield a power over the instruments and when she takes over a track, the album goes in a different direction. Overall, this isn’t a bad album. It has a nice balance of melodic songs and more power-driven tracks, and the lyrics are introspective and sometimes smattered with politics. But it’s MacKaye’s impressive vocals that lift this album out of mediocrity.