Battling sobriety is never easy. But to do so while simultaneously recording a highly anticipated third full-length album, touring eight months a year, and enduring a breakup is damn near impossible.
Motion City Soundtracker and vocalist Justin Pierre had to deal with eerily similar conditions during the recording of their latest record, aptly titled Even If It Kills Me.
It's clear that Pierre used all of these trying experiences to create Motion City's mellowest, yet most complete, album to date.
"Fell in Love Without You," the CD's opener, is a fast-paced track that stands out largely because of Moog (vintage keyboard) player Jesse Johnson. Drummer Tony Thaxon's vastly improved beats lead the charge on one of MCS's signature high-energy tracks.
While Johnson's Moog playing on prior records was a major contributor to setting the band apart from others, this time the flashy keys take on a more subdued role. Johnson even trades in his gaudy synth for a classical piano on "The Conversation."
Under the influence of breakups and pain, Pierre delivers some of his most heart-churning lyrics yet. Interestingly enough, he writes from the perspective of the heartbreaker.
"Stop looking at the floor/I need to pour out this expansive dose of words/I can't explain/I need to be alone," sings Pierre.
Unfortunately, his voice is a bit flat and lacking in emotion, given the weight of his words.
"Last Night" is a standout success. Here MCS do what they do best, delivering crowd-pleasing hooks larger than Pierre's obnoxiously big hairdo.
MCS's greatest success on Even If It Kills Me is how they juxtapose depressing lyrics alongside uplifting, witty lyrics in near-seamless form.
Transformers are added into the mix on the track "Calling All Cops," which partially deals with Pierre's continued struggles with alcohol abuse.
"Calling all cops and autobots/And everything just falls apart," sings Pierre.
MCS's first single, "Broken Heart," could be the best example of what this band personifies as Johnson's Moog returns to set the stage for what will be surely a crowd favorite during their entertaining live performances. Add in Pierre's somber lyrics and listeners get what may be the band's catchiest track yet.
However, fans of MCS who swear by the poppy sound of their earlier records may have to bear with the mellow sounds of their latest release that are, in the end, mature and welcome.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
