Review Summary: Three track dud or the next step for this band?
Too Close To Touch was one of those bands that I could count on to keep the rock scene alive. (which is hanging on by a thread). They did a good job at evolving or adapting over the years to sound relevant. Even from the start, their first album
Nerve Endings turned a lot of heads. Sure, it wasn’t unprecedented, but it’s always delightful to stumble across a loud post hardcore act spilling out some soul. It's a hard pill to swallow to see that this band might have possibly sold out and is currently looking like a pink splat on the side of the curb. But that won’t detour me from giving an honest opinion because I am so open minded (that is not true) but mainly because I’ve been so thirsty to hear some new content ever since their single
Burn came out. In case you don’t know, this is a three track EP in which I don’t mind at all (I have a very small attention span).
The album kicks off with
Hard To Love. The intro to the track gives a hint that they’re going to continue with the very depressing tunes from
Haven’t Been Myself, but after the quick first verse, it swiftly transitions into a happy radio-esque pop chorus. Can’t say that this track isn’t an earworm, if you ever been a fan of this band, then you understand that they are dangerously catchy. The first song definitely raised an eyebrow, but as soon as the chorus came in on track two, I was really on the edge of my seat.
Casket is a full-blown pop song sparkled with 80s synth. Maybe I’ve been on sputnik for too long, but something tells me they were inspired and channeled their inner Carly Rae Jepsen and left a lot of
emotion on that track. The third and final track is the zenith of their rock ability.
The Fear of Letting Go is a song that definitely goes back to the roots, but is ironically the most lackluster track on the album and is nothing more than a B-Side track to their last album.
This little album is interesting to say the least. What I like most is the fact that the underlying tone is still dark like
Haven’t Been Myself but is fused with happy bubblegum pop. And to me, it implies that Keaton Pierce (vocals) is in the process of healing, because he let off a lot of steam on the last record. The pop elements are so strong that it is definitely going to be stashed into their arsenal when brainstorming for their third LP. Although I may be a tad upset with the drastic change in sound, there is no way I can morally criticize the band, because the bottom line is that
Too Close To Touch is a bunch of talented boys that make good music regardless of the reason why they chose to switch it up, whether it was to target a larger audience or a genuine attempt.
