★★★
Twin Atlantic’sGLAis the first album the group has released after taking almost a year off.
It’s a slightly heavier record than the ones the Glasgow lads have previously turned in, and it drifts ever so slightly from the poppier rock that they’ve presented in the past.
‘No Sleep’ is perhaps the greatest example of this: it’s got a pop punk verse structure but a chorus that’s begging to be expanded into a full-blown rock track. The same thing happens on ‘Ex El’ but in reverse order, and though the song has verses that would be at home in the discography of any stadium rock group, there are parts that feel underwhelming, and overcooked.
That doesn’t mean that the album is bad, per se; it’s just a little bit confused. When Twin Atlantic let loose and start to rock out things improve. But even though their poppier style isn’t terrible to listen to, other bands are out there doing the same thing, and better.
Individually, most of the songs on this album are decent, but listening to them all in a row means sudden changes can be jarring. Simply put, Twin Atlantic’s next album should be used to pick a side: pop punk-partiers or flat out rockers.
Twin Atlantic’sGLAis out now via Red Bull Records.
