The band’s label describes Kyoto Drive as like Owl City, which leads me to think whether or not I’ve actually picked up the right CD. For the record, Owl City and Kyoto Drive could not be further apart in sound. The Midlanders released an EP/demo a year or so ago which had that 2002 Drive Thru feel and it suggested decent things lay ahead. This album, the band’s first, proves the talent is there and showcases a band that know how to write good songs. It’s sometimes a little aimless and maybe one or two songs too long, but overall this is a good, solid listen.
If you were looking for a more accurate comparison I’d suggest ‘Clarity’-era Jimmy Eat World – lots of subtle guitar work, driving riffs and soaring vocals. Catchy but not overly so. Obviously this isn’t as good as ‘Clarity’, but then you can probably count on one hand the number of albums ever written that are better than that one. Still, I’d much rather listen to a band that’s passionate and can play, like Kyoto Drive, than most of the soulless rubbish that’s doing the rounds today and it’s therefore easy to see (and hear) why Engineer and Pacific Ridge have picked these guys up.
I digress. ‘This Is All…’ not only shows promise, but delivers too. ‘It’s Not About Revenge, Don’t Make It Personal’ has a sweeping vocal hook that ends the song in fine fashion, even if it takes a little too long to get going. ‘I’d Give It All’ is a strong track, while I love the energy of opener ‘Transitions’. It’s a sound I hope the band will continue with in the future; the urgency and aggression works really well and make for an eyecatching start. On the minus side, some of the songs have musical intros which are too long and as someone with a short attention span I’m a fan of bands that hook me in after three seconds. I don’t like waiting 20 seconds for the vocals to kick in. One or two tracks could have been cut, but that’s about as far as my criticism goes. This is a good release and the boys can be proud of finding their own sound and sounding comfortable and natural at the same time.