Review Summary: A band returning to form
I can't think of many bands that have stuck it out so long and still retained a good sound. Everyone seems to get bland or turn to whatever increasingly pop trend is running at the moment. The Offspring is a good example. While I grew up listening to their Heyday releases, as I grew older their output turned worse and worse. In fact I found myself going backwards towards their first and second albums, realizing it was much more mature than their more modern, increasingly desperate output.
Plus Minus on the other hand has managed to not only stand the test of time, but continue to put out quality music. While no new ground is really being covered here, the melodies and lyrics do not sound stale. The hooks, math rock, intricate drumming, and somber stories are still there. This is what I expect a maturing band to sound like.
At its core Jumping the Tracks is a breakup album. The songs meander around the theme of someone who still hasn't gotten over that person that burnt them bad. I assume James is writing of his own experience here as it feels raw and earnest. None of the tracks really feel forced, although they do seem to run out of energy by the last couple of songs.
Plus Minus has always done a good job of mixing things up as well. No two songs really sound alike and despite the consistent downtrodden lyrical theme, there is enough variety and depth to keep the listener engaged. If you’re someone who gets tired of copy-paste verse and choruses with little variation, then you’ll appreciate the variation and emotive instruments that haunt the end of most of the songs.
Standout Tracks:
The Bitterest Pill
The Space Between Us
Exorcising Your Ghost
There goes My Love
Running the Distance
