Review by Shannon Shumaker
It’s always great when an album surprises me, and that’s definitely what has happened with We Are The Finale’s new EP, The Magic Show Act II: The Turn. The interlude beginning track flows straight into the second song on the EP, “Well Enough Alone,” which starts of with a pretty piano part, but eventually transitions into catchy guitar hooks and incredible vocals that pull me in almost immediately. “Well Enough Alone” just builds and builds as it progresses into an anthematic chorus, and by the the time the song is over, I’m absolutely impressed. The vocals, while on point and very melodic throughout much of the song, also have a very raw and gritty emotional quality about them at times, reminiscent of bands such as Dance Gavin Dance and Envy On The Coast. “Well Enough Alone” honestly serves as a perfect intro track to We Are The Finale – it’s well rounded, unpredictable and catchy as hell.
Even more unpredictable is the third song on The Magic Show Act II: The Turn, “Ten Days.” The track starts off like a ballad with a simple piano part and vocals, which is a strong contrast to the energetic and passionate “Well Enough Alone.” In fact, if We Are The Finale should be known for anything, it should be their versatility. Every single track on this EP sounds different. By that, I mean that every song almost sounds like a different genre, which is an incredible feat, but somehow, they actually manage to pull it off. “Ten Days” is a slower ballad while the next track, “…And Scene” sounds more post-hardcore. And just when I think I have We Are The Finale figured out, they throw a synthesizer into their final fast-paced, guitar driven track, “The Honeymoon Phase.”
To try to force We Are The Finale into a genre or a box would honestly be a crime, but if I had to describe them as anything, I’d take it straight from the band’s facebook page, which labels them as “Chaos Pop.” If The Magic Show Act II: The Turn is anything, it’s definitely chaotic. Just when I think they’re about to turn right, We Are The Finale turns left and catches me off guard, and by the time the album is over, I feel blindsided. The only downside of this is that the album doesn’t flow very well – each track stands strong on its own, but as a whole the flow of the album is a little choppy. That’s to be expected, though, and by the time that The Magic Show Act II: The Turn is over, it’s hard for me to care about the way that it flows, because I’m absolutely blown away by We Are The Finale’s incredible songwriting. This album should not be missed!
Rating: 4.5/5
Listen to “Well Enough Alone”
1 Comment
obsessed <3 😉