Tuesday, April 17, 2018

AMERICA - 30 Seconds To Mars

After nearly five years of waiting, the latest 30 Seconds To Mars album is here; AMERICA. Like it's title, the album is an intriguing mix of different ideas and sounds coming together in one place. The singles "Walk On Water" and "Dangerous Night" gave us glimpses of the new pop/EDM vibe, but "One Track Mind (feat. A$AP Rocky)" and "Rescue Me" both gave us a taste before the whole album dropped, and revealed to us some of the actual drops that we'd be hearing on the album. The former was more on the rap side, but still featured a big drop that shatters the dark, moody vibe of the syrupy verses, and features A$AP Rocky, which sounds odd in concept but works well in practice (see my review here for a more in-depth look). The later definitely has a more upbeat vibe and larger guitar presence, but still manages to drop hard during the chorus as Jared Leto screams for someone to rescue him before a catchy synth line and big beats kicks in.

A few more of the songs from the album follow in this same suit. "Hail To The Victor" and "Love Is Madness (feat. Halsey)" both feature pop and EDM sounds and structures to delve further into the new territory. The former leans more to the EDM side, with a bit of a darker vibe and gritty sense to it. It has a cool shift between the verses and chorus, a moving from the light to the dark, something that reminded me a lot of the way in which Yellow Claw orchestrates their club-ready EDM trap music (and something I felt very proud of when I looked it up and saw that they're listed as contributors for the song). The later feels a bit like something that could have fit well on Halsey's latest release, hopeless fountain kingdom, (which makes sense given that she's on the song), but throws in a bit more of a rock/epic sound to it. The duet aspect definitely sets it apart from the other songs, the back and forth nature of Halsey and Leto passing back and forth the vocal baton. They both are able to balance between the softer and harder sides, knowing when to sing low or let their voices soar high and full of emotion.

However, what it boils down to is that underneath the soaring synths, the trap high-hats and booming beats, the bright infectious pop, EDM drops, and hint of rock 'n roll, is very little. These huge sound walls end up revealing themselves as facades, too shallow to really bring anything of significant meaning. This is a big trouble that I've seen bands struggle with when making an album with crossover appeal or even just a straight up pop album - they get so into fitting a specific sound, that the content itself suffers in quality. Similarly, Linkin Park struggled with this on their last album, One More Light, although I think they managed to retain more substance than AMERICA seems to do. The other issue is that when a band lets other writers into their creative space and works with them, it always results in an altering of the sound that sometimes makes it feel less like a cool collaboration and more like an accommodation.

Now, does that mean I dislike this album? Not at all. The band took a direction that really stretched the limits of where they had gone before and what they had previously tried, and the results led to some really interesting sounds and combinations. Leto showed off his ability to sing very well in a more pop-friendly setting, utilizing the power and range that fits so well in rock to soar even higher than the instrumentals and really shine.

Some of the songs retain the epic sound that 30STM has mastered over the years, adding new elements to the formula to keep it fresh. "Great Wide Open" feels like one of the more authentic songs of the record, utilizing the imagery of a wide open space and a huge sound wall to make something that was truest to the band's past while still looking forward. "Monolith" brings to mind some of the orchestral sounds they've used in the past (such as "Birth" from Love Lust Faith + Dreams) and serves as an incredible, adrenaline-rush intro into "Love Is Madness". "Dawn Will Rise" also feels similar to their past materials, the tiny bit of French and the acoustic guitar intro for the song bringing to mind "Night Of The Hunter" from the 2009 This Is War. There's much more of an electronic feel, from the beat and synths to the vocal effects, but it still manages to be in a similar enough vein to sound like something true to the band.

Other songs didn't quite reach the same heights. "Remedy" is an acoustic, stripped down, polar opposite of the rest of the album, and normally would serve as great contrast to the synthetic elements found throughout. However, the vocals are done by Shannon Leto, who normally does the drumming. While it's cool to hear him step into a different role and come to the forefront of the song, it also feels very different in a way that loses it's connection with the album. The lead singer is not the band, but the lead singer is a big part of what makes a band unique. Jared Leto's voice has been a really big part of how 30STM has stayed where they are in the music world, and "Remedy" just doesn't have that same feeling. I also felt like "Dangerous Night" just didn't do enough for me. It felt a bit too safe, a bit too much like what you'd hear on the radio to stand out in my mind. I saw that it was produced by Zedd, and my reaction to it makes more sense and solidifies my feelings. It's not that it's bad; people clearly enjoy it. I don't feel as if it has a lot of staying power.

Overall, the album is another successful attempt to make a packaged experience. 30STM has always been theatrical, and AMERICA certainly meets that criterea. However, there's a bit too much inconsistency in the pace and flow of the record for it to top their last two releases. I really enjoy some of the songs, there's no doubt about that. But when the gaps between albums last from four to five years, it's hard for the anticipation not to build, and hard for expectations to be met in a completely satisfactory manner.

Rating: 3/5

Recommended: "One Track Mind", "Love Is Madness", "Dawn Will Rise", "Live Like A Dream"

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