Don't drive by
Okay so every time I hear the name Drive Thru Records I have a tendency to pidgeon hole the band, it's terrible, but come on doesn't it make you think generic pop punk with a dash of emo too? Well from Rushmore Records the sister record label that is home of New Found Glory, The Early November and The Starting Line comes The Track Record, they dub themselves "philosophical pop", seemingly a contradictory term I didn't know such a thing existed, but hey I'm going into this CD open minded.
"Plans To Wake Up On The Beach" is refreshing, unlike most pop punk these days, it isn't cheesy, whiney or dull. It's catchy, it reminds me of back in the day when I first heard The Get Up Kids, the fresh faced earnestly and youthful social views that shows readily through out this CD is most openly displayed in this track of summery melodies and intelligent hooks. It is a good track for an opener as it hooks you in enough to carry on listening further. "Talk Radio" is another good track, different from the first entirely, it maintains a happy easy going vibe, but its breakdown is starker and the layered harmonies helps in steering this clear of middle of the road 'lets jump around mindlessly' songs. "Golden" unfortunately is slightly more generic, though displaying able musicianship, singer Micheal Strackbeins voice does get lost getting caught up in the overly sugary sweet guitar pop, likening them to an early Starting Line, it doesn't do much to help them branch out beyond the Drive Thru audience. "Winters Run" borders on emo whiney pop, Dashboard sans the crying if you will. Still their display of slick musicianship shows, you can still sense there is something more to this band that tracks like this shield all to well. "Letters To Summer" instantly made me smile, the intro is like cold drink on a summers day, or when you smell a scent that reminds you of a happy memory, it's familiar in that comfortable way. This track contains the same earnest intelligent pop laden hooks that the first two tracks did, once again showing such promise for this band that may just push them over and above the rest of the mediocre Drive Thru bands.
This CD shows a great promise, if anything, though it may not break down any musical barriers it's a great summer CD to enjoy whilst you while the summer days away. To liken The Track Record to an early Get Up Kids may seem ambitious, but with intelligent catchy music like this greatness may not be that far off in the distance.