Remo Drive burst onto the scene in 2017 with their debut record "Greatest Hits" which introduced an infectious blend of indie-pop hooks and emo sensibilities. But no matter how morose the lyrical content was underneath all the soaring leads and upbeat tempos, there was enough enthusiasm to keep it undeniably fun. But despite it's bright and hopeful looking album art, their follow up feels decidedly uglier and consequently a little harder to get into. This is not a happy go lucky summer anthem (which makes its release date a bit puzzling). This is a bitter entanglement of navigating a deteriorating relationship and while there are some really beautifully heart-wrenching moments captured, it's hard not to miss that element of fun that made "Greatest Hits" so easy to revisit. Not so much a breakup album, but more of a "should we stay together?" album. Diving into the subject so thoroughly brings a lot of depth to an incredibly difficult situation but it also makes the record a little more 1 dimensional and less accessible as a result. If you're not in the mood to listen to a record about heartbreak, it's easy to write it off. But if you are - it's an incredibly well written examination of the inner turmoil that accompanies the process. It can definitely sucker punch you in all the feelings, especially the tracks "The Grind", "Separate Beds", and "Mirror" which basically serve as the 3 pillars of the record; delivering the album's message most effectively and concisely. The musical progression of the instrumentals is also really interesting, as the band seems to be fully leaning into their 80's pop influences and growing as a power pop group. For better or for worse, the vocals have overtaken the guitars as the primary focus and it makes their sound even more distinguishable - the songs themselves are just a little less catchy than they were the last go round.
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