Review Summary: Hearts and Machines: are you going to follow your heart or are you going to be a machine, thoughtless, hopeless and dull?
Subtlely released right at the year's end, The Last Gatsby debut album, Hearts and Machines, gives a whole new take on the alternative punk scence. Originating from Salt Lake City, Utah, these guys have a lot to bring to the table in terms of both talent, energy and creativity, even though they have been active for only 6 months now. Their music is influenced from a range of bands including, Blink-182, A Day to Remember, The Used, All Time Low, The Story So Far and the erieness of MCR. Not to say this band is at a world class level yet however they have produced an album that is changing the alternative punk rock scene in the west. It is a breath of fresh air to have a band that is not trying to hard or going to over the top to get their sound recognized. It is a nice mix of energy and heart that is appealing to any age.
The 10 track LP, Hearts and Machines wastes no time to settle in, as the opening track Lies and Truths shows a little bit of everything. Starting off with distant guitar that gets louder and louder and eventually welcomes the whole band for a raw crunchy sound. The track demonstrates what the album is all about and it also shows a style that The Last Gatsby demonstrates often, build ups, breaks, and explosions of full band. This energy is key in tracks Blacklight and Cobwebs. Cobwebs is by far the most grungy song on the record. Lead singer JH Paul said that he was in a very dark place he wrote this track, lots of frustration and anger. However these tracks are only one side of the whole album. Songs like Thoughts of a Mind Reader, A Heart's Never Felt so Good, and Press One for More Options, and Symphony all add a different take on the overall feel of the album. They are upbeat and have a very positive vibe. These songs in large part were influenced by the addition of Guitarist Gary Samuelson III who joined the band half way through the writing process. The three powerhouse songs on the album are tracks 4-6 Coffin, The High Road and Blue Skies. Coffin, the bands original single generated a lot of buzz when it first released and has proven to be one of the strongest songs on the album. With intricate drums, driven vocals, and strong bass melodies this song is a good example of the roots of The Last Gatsby. the High Road and Blue Skies are other great examples of the drive and rythym that the band is going for. Blue Skies grooving beat is an intersting twist on the album as a whole but it's choruses are hard and energetic like the other songs on the album, while The High Road is a power ballad. Much like Coffin, this songs choruses are laced with creative melodies and an up-tempo pace, followed by a tough breakdown. This album is designed to show the versatility of the band and how diverse yet unified its music can be.
With a sound like an already experienced punk band, The Last Gatsby has put out an awesome debut album and are worth looking out for. They changing a dying genre in something to be reckoned with and something to be noticed. The band is starting to shatter the local scene and with music like this have proven that they are serious about passion, music and change. The whole overarching theme is you can listen to heart and be a happier individual and be more fulfilled, or you can be a machine, a heartless drone, who lives and dies without experiencing the real joys in life.
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