Review Summary: Mover Shaker successfully let the listeners venture on an eclectic and introspective road trip.
Humans are often unstable creatures when left alone with their own thoughts. They laugh, they cry, they scream, and they contemplate their very existence. One could only imagine how amplified those emotions would be if a small group of people were forced together over an elongated period of time in a cramped space with little to do other than admire scenery. Another Truck Stop lets the listener play passenger on said journey with the band and it is one especially unforgettable experience.
Another Truck stop is a whirl of emotions within not only the album itself, but during individual tracks. Take for instance, the bombastic, energetic, extremely catchy guitar driven opener “Latchkey”. Sonically beginning with fury only to mellow out and eventually circle back into unadulterated power whilst lyrically proclaiming, “I don’t wanna die but I feel like I might if you call me again”. The proceeding track “Service Provider” explores the concept of helplessness. The dread one can experience for a loved one in a potentially dangerous situation across the country. The song instrumentally contains an upbeat verse, mellow chorus, and a bridge that quite literally spirals out of control only to regain composure for one last synth driven, somber rendition of the chorus.
To the introspective, sprawling, and absolutely gargantuan six minute tracks “Honeydew / House of Youth” and “We Can Go to the Landfill Tomorrow” to the synth lead soothing ballads such as “Vilify,” “Amnesiac Queen,” and “Put Me to Sleep” to the abrasively loud and brief bursts of aggression such as “Midwest Amnesiac Blues” and “The Children Want Their Nicotine Now” the track list and tone goes anywhere and everywhere it pleases. The guitars can be calmingly ambient or disgustingly distorted and fuzzy, the drums can be spastic or merely simple accompaniment to the song at large, and the keyboards range from prominent a Casio and retro tinge or full colorful piano. Another Truck Stop is the true definition of eclectic.
The album blends perfectly together and with the band’s nature to morph into completely different genres it leaves a first time listener on the edge of their seat eagerly awaiting the next rapid change in direction. Mover Shaker makes it quite obvious they themselves are having fun too with an endearing yelp after the lyric, “you caught me barkin at the dog again,” in the opener or the quick quip, “I dunno it's pretty cool,” after just screaming “I got a gun and I shoot it for fun”. The album is engaging and tight knit, yet the sheer spontaneity makes it seem unhinged in all the right ways. It feels like the driver behind the wheel of the proverbial road trip reassures you they know where they’re going, yet they are also driving like they’re about to veer off the road at any second.
The album closes on the concise title track which is the tightly wrapped bow that ties everything together. It cements the more than slightly cliche mission statement that it is in fact not the destination, but the journey and the friends made along the way that are worth savoring. While even the band themselves seem to admit that it is perhaps a better live experience than a recorded one, and sometimes songs leave a bit to be desired, there is such a unique charm to Another Truck Stop. The variety of emotions behind the music truly encompasses the feeling of being on a road trip. In an era where bands are willing to fuse genres more than ever, Mover Shaker turns the experimentation up to eleven and triumphantly makes their presence known.
