Usually, you don’t feel how long it’s been since you first listened to a band, but I stopped to think that it’s been almost four years since I first heard about This Century. It definitely seems like it was long ago.
On Tuesday, the Arizona natives put out their third album Soul Sucker which also happens to be their last one as a band. – “This record is such a strange synthesis of emotions plucked from all across the spectrum of the human experience.” – explains lead singer Joel Kanitz on the band’s Facebook page.
While this album also represents a change of sound, a little bit more edgier than previous records and/or singles, it’s safe to say that you can clearly point out the band’s progression and growth over the past few years; even Joel took the risk and proved his vocal range by hitting some notes higher than his average range on previous albums.
Opening the album with the title track “Soul Sucker” is the first sip on this album and proof of what I previously said about Joel reaching higher notes; this single reflects what the band went for on this record.
The journey continues with “American Girls” and “Night Owl” the latter being one of my personal favorites and also, one of the tracks that’s more relatable to our day-to-day situations. “I’m only half a man swimming in my doubts, but I don’t plan on coming down,” to me it speaks subtly about the struggles we all face while growing up such as giving up manners, fighting our own self doubts but it also leaves the message of how important it is to fight them out and keep going. The album continues with “Heaven” and “Hot Friends” both of them including a pop vibe that make them easier to get hooked on.
Speaking of how to fight out hard situations and getting to get over them, the track “Unforgivable” is also one of my favourites, if you ever had bad experiences with people you thought were “right for you” but in the end they just ended up disappointing you, I’m sure you will relate to this track. With lyrics such as “You won’t break me down, I won’t let you walk me out no more” the track speaks to me about the bad impact a person can have on you to the point where you’re kind of like not being yourself anymore, but eventually you’re bound to come up for air and simply let it go. I also think of it as the process of letting go not being anything near easy at all, but in order to give ourselves another chance, we have to just find the way to let it go.
“Seven” with lyrics full of emotion and touchy sentences, it also makes one of the softer tracks on the album. “Wonder Why” and “Take Me Down” both have this pop-rock sound that totally makes up a good bridge before taking the last leap on the album.
The last and longest track on the album is “Relapse” a song that, being the sensitive soul I am, speaks to me about how we’re all vulnerable humans who can easily lose track of where we’re going or where we want to be. The sound and the rhythm totally makes it a good way to close the album.
Soul Sucker is nothing less than beautiful and honest. It left me with this feeling that the songs put out on this record were the perfect way to, literally, close a chapter in their life as a band. After listening to it the first time I really felt the essence of who they are as a band and the message they wanted to leave behind.
As stated previously, This Century is parting ways now that their album is out. After years of touring on their own and with label mates, the band is playing their final shows with two dates in California and one final date in their gorgeous home of Arizona. For tickets to these three shows, head on over to 81twentythree.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9EVwoa8oLo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Soul Sucker is available on iTunes, Spotify and 81twentythree.
