By: Hilary Johnston August, 6th 2013
Recorded on the West Coast with Nigel Asselin (Half Moon Run, Faded Vanity), Air Marshal Landing’s full-length debut has arrived with poise, and candidly, one I’ve been waiting to hear for quite some time.
Matt Simmonds, Graham Drummond and Cory Adrian have written an uncommonly balanced record that is instinctually thoughtful , full to the brim with notable melodies, groovy bass lines and perky hooks. Precise and polished, each tune logically leads the ear to the next, with the lyrics providing a sense of cohesion that you not only hear when they are sung, but actually discern. Furthermore, a contemplative tone and common theme of reflecting on one’s own identity makes each song feel like part of a whole, not singulair pieces.
Although the album traverses a sunny and glossy streak, it does so without sacrificing the edgy side of the group’s songwriting. Take for instance the jaunty pop of “Me and My Friends” – a painfully catchy melody and whistling solo that is paired with tense guitar riffs – resulting in a song that straddles classic and current simultaneously. Truth be told, I listened to it four times before I finally allowed myself to move on.