It’s safe to say that English rockers Lower Than Atlantis haven’t shied away from bringing pop music influences into their heavy, rock sound in the past before. They have completely mastered this experimental virtue by the recent release of their fifth studio album with the help of Dan Lancaster – the go-to producer of all your favourite British rock bands and more.
Safe In Sound is the follow up to 2014’s self-titled effort. It sees the band return to its indie-label existence which has definitely done good to the genuineness of the music. In all honesty, I was sold on this new era of LTA first when the first single “Work for It” premiered back in summer, and the lines of “I hate everyone that I meet/but I’m getting better” on opening track “Had Enough” only strengthened this feeling. I currently have the ultimate love affair with “Could Be Worse” and “I Would.” Those two have everything you need to make huge sounding pop-rock anthems. It’s like if All Time Low and older LTA songs like “Love Someone Else” or “Something Better Came Along” had a love child. Sing-alongs guaranteed.
Now, “Boomerang” must be the most problematic song they’ve ever written – I completely hate its intro, period. It also has a heavy breakdown at the bridge, and then the rest is this funky earworm that grows on you. Is it bad? Is it genius? I can’t really wrap my head around this one.
Symphonics in rock music is one of those things I completely adore. “I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore” is the “Another Sad Song” of this record. The soothing strings live in perfect harmony with the tragic farewell of the lyrics. A beautiful swan song it is. I love to see bands mature into taking these type of risks. “Money” also provides something new this way with its laid back jazz sound. I’d love to see Lower Than Atlantis pull these two off during a special one-off performance with string quartet, trumpets and all that.
2017 seems to be the year of all the British rock bands I saw evolve in the past years occupying the Top 10 of the UK charts – see our previous reviews of the likes of Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes and Deaf Havana – and I live for this. Lower Than Atlantis are currently #4. Help them stay there!
