escape act: balance0

It’s always useful to take certain buzzwords with a significant pinch of salt when you read music PR. A second album is always an “evolution”, while if a washed up act decides to rehash their breakthrough record for one final payday we’re told it’s a band “returning to their roots”. In the case of Escape Act’s sophomore effort “Balance”, the word evolution is wholly justified- the band’s ascent to maturity is on record for all to hear.

“Loosely Based On Fiction” certainly felt like a soundtrack to an awkward adolesence: the constantly crashing guitars, the sense of something special lurking beneath the surface, the debt to punk and Americana and the feeling that Chris Heaney was slightly nervous in his switch from drummer to frontman. With this release, the band have delivered upon that promise and grown up. It’s no longer just indie pop and Undertones-esque punk: every track has real depth, be it the changing dynamics in “Single Thought” coupled with horns and xylophones or even simply refreshing songwriting in “Folded Arms”.

The addition of Ross Neely to the mix seems to have given the band a bit more freedom to experiment musically while Heaney seems to finally found his true voice for this album: the confidence appears to be there for the first time. Escape Act seem to have a knack for developing songs, effortlessly adding musical layer upon musical layer. Occasionally, you do get the feeling they could kick it up a gear and sometimes the reverse is true, but generally speaking they get the balance just right. (No pun intended.)

There certainly hasn’t been a complete departure in sound: tracks like “Burning Sand” and “Salt In Your Eye” still feature those upbeat, irritatingly infectious indie pop melodies full of hooks similar to their debut album. However, every track has a certain gloss on it that seems to change a decent song into a good one (and in certain cases, a brilliant song). There’s even a foray into unknown territory for the band: a slow, piano ballad in “K” and one or two possible anthems are in there as well. Fans of Spoon and the National will lap up this album: the attention to detail, high quality songwriting and the sheer balls to try something different makes “Balance” an album that won’t blow you away but instead make you fall in love with it.

Download: Salt In Your Eye, Burning Sand, Well Rehearsed.

Escape Act Bandcamp (four free tracks available for download, as well as the debut album for free)