Review Summary: Quality music deserves a home. It deserves a following. The Photo Atlas is worthy of the honour and continues to prove they are more than up to the task.
The Photo Atlas continues to grow while staying true to their original, hypnotic sound. I have literally returned to Sputnik solely to write a review for their new album "Stuck In A Honeytrap" because it (and they) are simply that good. Unfortunately, The Photo Atlas remain relatively unknown save for the occasional song that finds its way to video game soundtracks (i.e.,"Red, Orange, Yellow" gained notice through its use on Burnout Paradise's in-game soundtrack).
The long-story-short of it is that The Photo Atlas is an incredibly hard band to nail down in terms of sound. Their edgy sound effortlessly combines scorching lead guitar riffs with piercingly effective vocals and sublime electronic undertones. It is a wonder to behold; my ears simply can't get enough. After all, no band I have come across can elicit a legitimate desire to dance using an electric guitar.
Remaining from previous efforts is their signature use of overlapping, harmonious electric guitar riffs. The rhythm guitar has far more grit and purpose. The Photo Atlas clearly despise power chords and this is a welcome change of pace from standard punk offerings. The album's first single "Memory Like A Sinking Ship" proves this point beautifully, opening with its hypnotically bizarre yet strangely appealing mixture of techno-guitar before transitioning into well-realized lyrics and a chorus with flair. Then, from "Move It Darling", where the listener is treated to what can only be described as a ridiculous understanding of how to use guitars to tap into one's innate love of music, to the wave-by-wave assault of "Dress Code" and the beautifully-orchestrated build-up found in "Tell Me Again", The Photo Atlas impresses with each passing song.
This is not to say that "Stuck In A Honeytrap" is perfect. It does absolutely nothing to convert new listeners, so if you have attempted to love The Photo Atlas in the past, this album is not the true reinvention you may have been yearning for. The album is also painfully short, clocking in at a mere 34 minutes over the course of its 9-song stint. But what a glorious and entrancing 34 minutes it is. I truly implore anyone reading this to at least sample their music on iTunes or through whatever means available. Quality music deserves a home. It deserves a following. The Photo Atlas is worthy of the honour and continues to prove they are more than up to the task.
