Too Close to Touch
Nerve Endings

4.4
superb

Review

by DaveyBoy EMERITUS
March 25th, 2015 | 260 replies

Release Date: 2015 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Debut albums don’t often come as fully realized as ‘Nerve Endings’.

Debut albums don’t often come as fully realized as ‘Nerve Endings’. Having only released two previous EPs (one under the band-name Cascades), Lexington rockers Too Close To Touch haven’t taken at all long to nail down their sound, tinker with it a little and then go damn close to perfecting it. Without over-embellishing it at all, you won’t find too many albums in the quintet’s chosen genre that betters the quality, consistency and diversity of ‘Nerve Endings’. Narrowing the nominations down to only debut LPs reduces the competition even further! This is a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that the “chosen genre” referred to lies somewhere in-between melodic post-hardcore and emotional alt-rock; an arguably dated sound which is usually far from unique and often falls foul to formula.

In truth, Too Close To Touch do not reinvent the wheel when it comes to that sound… They have just meticulously composed this eleven track offering to the point where most nit-picking weaknesses are already inherent within the genre. From driving opener ‘Someday’ all the way through to epic closer ‘Until I Collapse’, the energetic quintet create a cohesive journey through the catchy, aggressive and atmospheric aspects of the band’s preferred style of music. Instrumentally, Too Close To Touch also work as a cohesive whole, with the dual guitar attack of Thomas Kidd and Mason Marble showing sufficient technical proficiency, while hard-hitting drummer Kenneth Downey also receives many moments to shine. If anything, the band could work on their use of keys and synths, which - while value-adding - could be a little subtler on occasions.

Bearing a striking resemblance – and a soaring voice to match – to We Are The Ocean’s Liam Cromby, lead vocalist Keaton Pierce is unsurprisingly mixed to the forefront on most tunes here. His silky smooth vocals are highlighted on the infectiously hooky singles ‘Pretty Little Thing’, ‘Perfect World ‘ and ‘The Deep End’, while his ability to get raw and intense works its way onto most songs, with only the title track seeing Pierce lapse into over-singing. Furthermore, two guest vocal spots are extremely well-featured, with neither Sleeping With Sirens’ Kellin Quinn or The Word Alive’s Telle Smith being over-stated or dominant. Lyrics, for the most part, are above-average, with the abandonment anthem that is ‘Hell To Pay’ probably the pick of the bunch. Most importantly, the lyrics are always delivered with thorough conviction by the talented Pierce.

Not only is the extremely consistent ‘Nerve Endings’ without an obvious lowlight, but each listener’s individual highlights will purely be a matter of personal choice. This is a fact which becomes all the more apparent, as the more layered and atmospheric sounding latter half of the LP progresses; revealing an enhancing replay value that is certain to please even the most hardened of cynics. Tellingly, it all comes together on exceptional closer ‘Until I Collapse’, which sees strings and choral backing vocals added to the mix to provide what is perhaps the perfect embodiment of the “catchy, but aggressive” dichotomy that this superb and dynamic album has to offer.

Recommended Tracks: Perfect World, Until I Collapse, Hell To Pay, The Deep End & Pretty Little Thing.

Recent reviews by this author
Alessia Cara Know-It-All	Be The Wolf Imago
Marianas Trench Astoria	State Champs Around the World and Back
Editors In Dream	Meg Myers Sorry