When Real Estate came out with their sophomore album Days in 2011, the band's popularity grew. Reviews of the album were positive, and the band gained consciousness among indie lovers.
With their new album Atlas, Real Estate builds upon past success, creating the same sound with a bit more vocal punch to it.
They have matured from a breakthrough indie band to a concrete, consistent indie band.
Atlas is proof of this. It is a different approach but the band keeps its old form. It's as if they took their last album, reformed it and created a cleaner, brighter sound.
Though some fans feel the new album is too similar to the band's last, Atlas brings something fresh. Many may fail to realize the album's brilliant contrast between well-thought-out music and the words that accompany it.
Atlas' album has a good pace and balance between upbeat and melancholy songs.
The album is not too fast. It's not too slow and it doesn't bore you. You just have to embrace it.
There's an apparent raw emotion that comes through the brilliant lyrics of Martin Courtney and sunshine-styled guitar riffs. It creates an atmosphere that surrounds the listener. It's a trance that is hard to escape.
It makes the listener realize there's no use in changing something that isn't broken.
The first track "Had To Hear," sets the pace, and the album builds momentum up until the last number, "Navigator."
"Talking Backwards" is the album's real attention-grabber. This song has everything an indie and surf-style lover wants with the reverb effects, which help amplify the guitar. These reverbs transform the song into a peaceful oceanic sound.
\And while you are sitting there deep in thought, Courtney hits you with lyrics, "We can talk for hours / And the line is still engaged / We're not getting any closer / You're too many miles away."
The sound is perfectly balanced. It is a bit lengthy, but the composure of the tune is so intriguing that you lose track of time. You might even be able to relate to the lyrics.
There is a direction with this album. It isn't meant to create a distraction from your thoughts. It's meant to fall in line with the listener and create an image that you can relate to.
Real Estate isn't the type of band that you can explain to a person in one sentence. You may not even be able to describe their music as whole.
Atlas is an album that has a proper balance of nostalgia, and more advanced lyrics bring the sound to an elevated level.
This indie band's maturation is continuing.
email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Album covers courtesy of Island Records, The Avalanches, Warner Bros. Records, 88rising Records, Smithsonian Folkway Recordings and Numero Group
