Motion City Soundtrack have returned with the refreshing The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World after a 10-year hiatus.
In the 2000s, Motion City Soundtrack was known for being influential in the emo and pop-punk movements. But they had a more mature and clever approach to their music than most of their alternative rock counterparts. They carry this maturity with them to their new album, despite all that time they had spent not making any new music.
The album does not suffer from the too-popular trend of bands sounding repetitive and searching for their old fame.
The first track, “Some Wear a Dark Heart,” starts the album on a great note, with orchestral sounds and easy-sounding guitars. The lyrics are meaningful and fitting without feeling like the lyricist is trying too hard to be overly emotional.
The album continues strong with the third track, “Particle Physics.” The song uses scientific terms as a metaphor to explain the confusion and complexity that the lyricist feels when trying to connect with people. The song features Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, which adds another layer of quality to the song due to his dynamic vocals.
The title track addresses the band’s 10-year music gap with its lyrics: “I’m so sick of living the nostalgia down… Stay in present tense somehow.”
The instrumentals are polished, yet still have an edge reminiscent of rock from the 2000s. The vocals of the album are also smooth, with the distinct voice of the frontman being a staple of the band’s sound.
The production of the album also adds to its quality. Every song is cohesive and easy to listen to, and all the elements of the tracks blend nicely.
Overall, fans of the band will be very pleased with this album. And even people who aren’t fans, but are relatively interested in the emo/pop punk genres, will likely enjoy a listen-through or two.
