Stomping The Phantom Brake Pedal - Angels & Airwaves

There is something so unique and fantastic about Angels & Airwaves. I believe that Tom Delonge really was able to express himself creatively through AVA, and that made him an immensely better musician and artist. AVA has continually created epic and moving music, pushing boundaries of what a band can do. A great example would be their LOVE project, which consisted of creating two albums and a feature length movie. This is something that few bands would ever attempt, and something that even fewer could ever pull off. AVA did such an incredible job with both of the albums, turning out multi-dimensional music. When I heard about their new EP that would include new unreleased material from the albums, I was excited to say the least. It's not like their normal songs; it's left over material from the movie score they wrote. So it does contain elements of the AVA we know, but is also complex in more aspects than I anticipated.

• Diary (Reel 1) sets the bar. Not just for this EP, but for AVA's future material. There are few words to describe the awe which I felt upon my first listen. It builds slowly, just like I've come to expect from AVA. But the way that it does is epic. The piano line that comes in gets me every time. The chord progression is absolutely fantastic, and the final banging chord has such a sense of force to it. Then the drums come in, slowly but surely. Some people may dislike the lack of a lot of vocals, but I think that it is so well done the way it is. The instrumental keeps the listener on edge, waiting and waiting for what's next. The sound they created is so massive, yet soothing. It's incredible. And when the vocals come in, it's timed so perfectly. They drop everything but the synths for a few moments, and then come back in even stronger with Tom's voice floating over the track so beautifully. I'm absolutely in love with the song, and so impressed with AVA for the job they did on this song.
• New Blood (Reel 5) definitely had a score feel to it. It was AVA, yet new and exciting sounds were being tested. The piano line about 2 minutes in had almost a Middle Eastern hint to it, revealing an expanding influence. The drop about 4 minutes in is absolutely the best part of the song. It's unexpected yet welcome. I also love that part of the chord progression from "Diary" is used in a synth form. It maintains the score feel, yet sheds a new light on what they have already used. While this song did not get me in the same way that "Diary" did, it is still fantastic. The ideas present reveal the band's potential and skill.
• Reel 6 starts off with the theme from the previous songs present, but is present in a much faster, driven song. The guitar line has a sick distortion to it, giving it grit and power. The difference in the types of sounds again reveals the creativity of AVA. I especially loved the switch to electric drums, which greatly contributed to the driving pace. The sound within this track surrounds the listener and makes them feel like they are a part of whatever world AVA was trying to create. It almost has a Nine Inch Nails sound to it; full of dark ideas, but upbeat in a pop sense. It does not depress the listener, but instead fuels them. 

I believe I would need to see each of these songs in the movie as they were intended, but I'd say that they are all great by themselves. They each reveal new aspects of AVA, and show how much potential the band has ahead of them.

Also included in the EP was 5 remixes of some of the popular tracks from the LOVE albums; Surrender, Epic Holiday, Young London, Anxiety, and Saturday Love. All of them were awesome originals, and the remixes are pretty good as well. They all were made much more electronic, with the beats much more prominent and synths and keyboards replacing a lot of the guitar and bass sounds. An exception to this was the remix of Young London, which had a much more mellow, Brit-rock tone to it with the clean guitar and laid-back drums. On the other hand, the remix of Surrender was a much more electronically driven version with a lot more sounds and samples added. I enjoyed them all, but am aware that people are picky about remixes (as am I). 

All in all, this was a really solid release from Angels & Airwaves. They revealed much different sides to their growing sound and the directions of the future of the band. I was very impressed, and would suggest that any fan of the band go buy it! It is currently available on AVA's website and will be on iTunes January 8th. 

4/5