Van Heezy 2008-12-08
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I love Robbers & Cowards, so I was excited to pick this up. After I listened to this for the first time I remember staring at the screen confused. I tried to tell my friend about it afterwards, but I just could not really describe it, let alone whether I liked it or not. Now after a few more times listening to it, and trying to understand it better, I think I can.
Loyalty to Loyalty is nothing like Robbers & Cowards on the first listen. There is absolutely no flow between songs, there is no energy (other than on something is not right with me), it's very artsy, and it just doesn't reach out to the listener at all, but if you have some patience and sit through it a few times, it really grows on you. Willet's vocals are great, and really stand out. They sometimes drown out the rest of the music, but it isn't too big of an issue, it seems like the focus is on his lyrics, voice, and message rather than some of the cool parts that the guitar and bass had on songs like Hang me up to Dry off their last album. There is a lot of piano, and the whole album is toned down quite a bit. It's one of those albums you throw on in the morning or right before going to bed.
You can tell that they've developed quite a bit musically in the last two years, but it's almost like they don't want to admit it. Instead of letting a lot of songs develop as you would think they would, they try and bring the charm from the first album back making it feel somewhat awkward. A good example of that is Golden Gate Jumpers. But who knows, maybe that push and pull is part of the reason this album works. This review might seem overly negative, but it's because everything I don't like about this album is what I love about it. There's not enough focus on the music behind the lyrics but I love the vocals. It doesn't flow well but that makes each track stand out better. Anything you could think of about this album, it's kind of the same story. Just give it time, and be in the right mood, you'll be surprised at how Loyalty to Loyalty hits you.