Review by Dom Vigil
It comes as no surprise that Tilian continues to push himself vocally and break down barriers between genres on his third full-length album, The Skeptic, but that doesn’t mean that these ten songs are predictable. With a sound the spans from the likes of his work with Dance Gavin Dance (see “Handsome Garbage”) and catchy as hell pop tracks (“Cocky” and “Blame It On Rock n Roll”) all the way to songs that verge on EDM (“Let Her Go” and “Right Side”), Tilian expands on his songwriting more than ever on The Skeptic, keeping listeners on their toes with every twist and turn.
There’s a little something for everyone on The Skeptic, starting right off the bat with the massive opener, “Made Of Plastic,” which makes the album impossible to ignore. Although fans have come to expect Tilian’s signature soaring vocals, they still stun, especially on songs like “Made Of Plastic,” “Handsome Garbage” and “Right Side.” Those who are looking for something they can sing along with and dance to, “Cocky” and the incredibly upbeat “Blame It On Rock n Roll” are your songs. “Blame It On Rock n Roll” has this timeless quality about it that’ll come as a shock to some, but will certainly become a crowd pleaser.
Not every song on The Skeptic is a banger, either, giving listeners a moment to really soak everything in. “Gone” slows things down a bit and pulls at your heartstrings while the emotional and heartfelt “Hold On” serves as a perfect middle point of the album. On tracks like “Hold On” and the soaring “Handsome Garbage,” it’s clear as day that Tilian has poured his heart and soul into this release. There are no filler songs on this release – instead, each song hosts something special that sets it apart from the pack, be it a new musical direction, a catchy chorus, emotional lyrics or some of Tilian’s best vocal work to date. Explosive, emotional and absolutely stunning, every single track on The Skeptic shines for an entirely different reason.
LISTEN TO: “Handsome Garbage,” “Right Side” and “Cocky”
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