Review by Shannon Shumaker
Stormchasers, the first album in ten years from Lucky Boys Confusion starts and ends with a bang. Comprised of twelve high energy, catchy and smart tracks, Stormchasers feels like a rebirth, and that’s exactly what it has been for this group of musicians.
There couldn’t be a better opening track than “I Slept With The Devil,” which kicks things off with the line, “Born like Jesus on the back of a truck/I won’t go to heaven cause I won’t give a fuck.” Lyrically, things are smart and witty, musically, it’s catchy as hell and vocally, the opening track is full of soul, emotion and is totally sing-along worthy. It’s the perfect opener to get you stoked on this release, and as Stormchasers continues, it provides hit after hit while also diving into incredibly personal subject matter.
Keeping the energy high is “It’s After Midnight,” and the following title track. These songs are relentless but never feel like too much. Instead, Lucky Boys Confusion take you through twists and turns right when you need them. Fourth track, “Sun In My Eyes” gives things a light break – where the first three songs are fast paced, this song is very warm and mellows things out a little but without sounding out of place. Like the songs before it, it’s also big and singalong worthy, if not just a little bittersweet.
The well rounded “Name In Lights” makes for a perfect almost-middle track, starting things off with strong drums and bass, transitioning into soulful, emotional vocals before blooming into big guitar work. Much like “Sun In My Eyes,” “Name In Lights” shines a sliver of light in the dark, keeping spirits high even when things feel discouraging.
Toward the middle of Stormchasers, things tend to slow down a big, but thankfully, it doesn’t feel like a lull or become uninteresting by any means. Even the slower songs are single-worthy, the only real downside comes in the similar vocal range found in each song. Despite this, there’s still quite a bit of diversity musically and lyrically, which stops the album from feeling stagnant or repetitive.
“Knives (Watch What You Say),” one of the strongest songs on the album comes near the end, telling a tale of betrayal with high energy and fire. The hook, “Watch what you say/Your best friends are sharpening their knives” is sure to worm its way into your head, leaving you humming it long after the slower, emotional closer “A Candle in the Window (Please Come Home)” brings things to a powerful end.
Not only does Stormchasers mark a strong comeback from Lucky Boys Confusion, but it is also a classic, timeless release. These twelve cathartic songs will easily resonate with any listener and withstand the test of time, making Stormchasers an incredibly strong release.
Rating: 4.5/5
Listen to “Knives (Watch What You Say)” or “Sun In My Eyes”
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