Review Summary: In your apartment, on vacation forever
Seaway have been a band that’s been up and coming and waiting to blow up for a while now. The boys have proven with 2015’s
Colour Blind that they definitely have the chops to be one of the new powerhouses of the genre.
Vacation only solidifies that thought, if not turn into a reality. This new album is summer personified; energetic, sun-tinged, and always on the move.
Carrying over from past records,
Vacation keeps the upbeat and happy tone that Seaway have seemed to perfect. The choruses have gotten bigger and catchier. Songs like “Lula On The Beach”, “Something Wonderful”, and “Apartment” are proof enough of that. The guitar riffs are as sugary as ever, complementing the melodies to a T. The gravelly voice of Ryan Locke comes through as clear as ever as it pushes each song along the rails. The sound of
Vacation is not of reinvention, but one of refinement. Seaway have taken their previous sound and honed it down to its bouncy and poppy core.
Speaking of, it’s important to note the poppier overtones of the album. Seaway play a little with vocal effects, hand clapping, and some gang vocals. The more sugary approach mingles with Seaway’s sound perfectly. The drums that begin “Lula On The Beach” lead in the rest of the song smoothly. The “dud da da” crowd vocals on “Misery In You” are one the most pleasant sounding bridges on the album. So while the album comes across as poppier than previous works, it’s for the better.
The lyrics are all over the place. No, I don’t mean in quality.
Vacation takes you to the beach, London, Winnipeg, Amsterdam, and Indiana. Seaway’s focus have moved to around the world, travelling with the flow and ebb of things. They’ll stay at home as their girl moves to London. They’ll spend a day at the beach, walking their dogs and having a great time. Seaway are living their life moving around, taking in all the little things that usually pass people by.
Vacation is one the best summer-sounding albums this year. Huge hooks with sugary melodies drench this album front to back. If you’re a fan of the genre or partake in a little pop-punk album every now and then, this is the album you’re gonna wanna hear. At a short 38 minute romp, I can’t recommend it enough. Check it out.
