ALBUM REVIEW: Ghost Town Road – Smallpools
On their third album Ghost Town Road, alt-pop trio SMALLPOOLS create an elegy for a bygone era, whilst also making sure not to get stuck in the past. The album’s title comes from a street sign that guitarist Michael Kamerman saw whilst passing through a stretch of the Nevada desert, and the band view this as a spiritual successor to their self-titled debut EP that was released in 2013. It was written and recorded at Kamerman‘s house in Los Angeles, and is as much about the band looking back on their past as it is about opening up a brand new chapter for them.
Opener Swayze is an upbeat synth-rock track that compares falling in love to the famous scene in Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze, whereas Night Shift which follows is an upbeat rock song with a catchy chorus backed by a brilliant guitar riff. As the album continues, the songs get more mellow and sombre, such as Fake A Happy Face! and Amelia, the latter incorporating whistles mixed into the instrumentation. What the band do brilliantly is allow each song – no matter how long or short – to stand on its own while also working as part of a cohesive album.
Although the album is only 33 minutes long and most of the songs themselves are short, the pacing isn’t too fast, particularly as each song seems to smoothly transition into the next. Saying that, the album isn’t perfect. Whilst they are upbeat songs, Paperweight and Caller ID are both sugary sweet pop-rock tracks that – due to their placement on the track list – unfortunately sound like one long song. On the other hand, Make Like A Dream & Die is an upbeat song that has a catchy chorus that will translate well live, whereas closer Be Kind, Rewind is a piano-led rock song that has a brilliant instrumental solo before the final big sing-along chorus. It is a moving song that shows how triumphant music can be, and it will be a hit song live.
SMALLPOOLS have been through multiple highs and lows since their formation in 2013, from line-up changes to releasing hit albums. However, what has stayed persistent is their love for music, whether it is live or recorded. This is clear on every album, but especially on Ghost Town Road, where the old and the new combine. Whilst they mostly stick to their alt-pop sound, they also throw in a few experimental elements to keep things fresh. Although not all the songs are stand-outs, for the most part the album works as a cohesive project, and each song gets enough time to shine, especially at the start. However, what is clearest of all is that SMALLPOOLS will always be passionate about the music, and Ghost Town Road is evidence of this.
Rating: 8/10
Ghost Town Road is out now via self-release.
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