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BUY THE CD
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It seems like I’ve been hearing a lot of the same thing lately. Perhaps it’s just that I listen to a whole lot of music—and, after a while, all those bands seem to blend into each other. Or maybe most of the bands out there really do sound the same. Whatever the case, though, when I finally do hear something that stands out in the endless flow of the same old thing, it makes the discovery that much more exciting.
In many ways, newcomers The Airborne Toxic Event actually remind me of any number of today’s bands (or at least some of today’s better bands). Their songs are perfectly simple, and the sound is often lighthearted and fun and just a little bit poppy. On many of the tracks (like “Gasoline” and “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?”), they offer up all kinds of infectious beats that get under your skin in the best of ways, leaving you with an undeniable urge to get up and dance.
Yet, from the beginning of the album’s dark yet danceable first track, “Wishing Well,” you’ll know that there’s something different about The Airborne Toxic Event. Something thoughtful and gritty. Something haunting. Even something beautiful.
Then, when you reach the seventh track, “Sometime Around Midnight,” it’ll hit you: the striking poetry of it all. “Sometime” is, without question, the album’s standout track. It’s also the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful song I’ve heard in ages—so much so, in fact, that although I’ve listened to it over and over again, it still gives me chills. The song’s driving guitar riffs, poetic lyrics, and impassioned vocals come together flawlessly—and the result sounds like a U2 cover of a Leonard Cohen song.
After hearing “Sometime,” you’ll hear the entire album differently. You’ll pay attention to the thoughtful and perceptive lyrics. You’ll appreciate the surprising mix of haunting melodies and catchy beats—of poetry and wit. And while you might think that those unexpected pairings could make the band’s self-titled debut an incongruous album, that’s not the case. On the contrary, it’s just right. It’s contemplative and artistic without being heavy and depressing.
My only complaint with The Airborne Toxic Event is that it doesn’t include more tracks like “Sometime Around Midnight.” Still, I have no doubt that they’re still to come—and I intend to wear out this album in eager anticipation of the next.
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