Review Summary: It's different from the Go Radio people might know but it's still incredibly good.
I am a huge fan of Lucky Street. It is my all time favorite album, mainly because it's so diverse and has so much heart. I was without a doubt extremely excited about Close The Distance. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes. Is it as good as Lucky Street? Simple answer would be, no, but it is an excellent record that any Go Radio fan should check out.
The biggest change to the band is their songs are no longer structured around guitar riffs, or so it would seem. Most tracks are focused more on piano underneath Jason Lancaster's voice with a nice bit of strumming throughout. They're not so much a rock band anymore as Collide and I Won't Lie are the most guitar oriented tracks. They have adapted into more of an adult contemporary outfit. If you're going to change, take notes from Go Radio because never have I seen such a great transformation into a more radio friendly sound but still sticking true to the signature Go Radio tone that we have grown to love.
I have to say Lancaster's vocals are better than ever. More polished but still remaining very raw and emotional. And tracks such as Hear Me Out, What if You Don't and The Ending have such rich verses and chorus's that contrast so well with the more rough sound of tracks such as Go To Hell, Collide and I Won't Lie.
The thing that really gets me is the fantastic mixing of each track. The drums sound crisp and poppy, the guitars have a great country vibe to them and the piano has never sounded better. And all this blends so well and comes together perfectly with the flawless writing. Each track has its own unique tone and writing style. that's what makes Go Radio so good is the shear uniqueness of each piece they work on. they don't fail to impress on Close The Distance.
Some of the best tracks are possibly the ones that stray most from Lucky Street. Pointing to the more poppy tracks such as Over Me and Baltimore. These and others sound like The Beatles or Elton John which is not bad by any means. So, no, it's not Lucky Street and it's not the alternative sound we know. But if you can look past that you'll find an incredible record that no one (fan of the genre) should miss out on.
