SafetySuit – These Times

Label: Universal Republic

Release Date: January 10, 2012

Rating: 8/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

I love when a band that is relatively unknown to me rears its head and asks me to pay attention. I love it even more when the time I spend on it pays off. This is truly the case with the sophomore release from Tulsa,Oklahoma natives, SafetySuit. These guys know how to put just enough pop in the rock or enough rock in the pop to make it radio friendly while keeping themselves from getting pegged into a specific genre.

Disc opener, “Believe,” with its fade in opener and tribal rhythms seem to grab the sense and keep you focused on the song. When you here the drums and layers of guitar kick in, it is worth the price of admission. There is something so familiar about the vocals of Doug Brown that keep you listening. “Get Around This,” the first single, comes in next and doesn’t let up on the pop sensibility, but it rocks enough during the chorus to make it a toe-tapper. Next up is “Let Go.” This was the second single released from the disc. I really like it, but it lends itself more to a club for dancing than it does to an arena for an anthem sing-a-long. Don’t discount it though; it is a solidly written song that keeps the disc moving in the right direction. “Staring At It” steps into the spotlight next and seems to act more as a bridge between the last song and the next song. It has an interesting sound and the vocals almost seem hypnotic, but not enough to stand alone as a single or killer live track.

Title track “These Times” is a great song that really delivers on all fronts. This song gives you edgy vocals to open, but finally the musicians kick it up and give up a song that will keep the lighters lit and raised high. The social commentary would make Bono proud. “Never Stop” starts out with a nice riff that draws you in – it did with me. “I will never stop trying; I will never stop watching as you leave; I will never stop losing my breath every time I see you looking back at me.” Who hasn’t felt this way or wished they had written or said something like this at least once in their lifetime. If I had to pick a recent song to describe the way I feel about my wife, this would be it. This song makes me drift off and reflect on my relationship with my wife and the way I feel about her… the fact that I will never stop loving her the way I do. Next up is “One Time,” which is another great song that should make its way to radio. It leans more to the pop side, but it helps balance the record. “Crash” brings the tempo back up and helps act as a bridge between songs.

“Stranger” brings the rock guitar back and has solid back beat and rhythm to keep the lofty pop vocals grounded. It helps wind down the record on a positive note. The country-pop flavored “Things To Say” is actually quite listenable. This song and its retrospective lyrics make you appreciate where you are, regardless of mistakes or open ended situations you have in your past. “Life In The Pain” takes the disc out with an almost six minute ballad that left this listener wishing the disc had either 10 or 12 songs.

This disc is sure to be a hit, and I cannot wait to see how this helps the bands exposure. These guys are on their way up – catch a ride with them and let’s see where they go together. I for one will be sure to catch these guys on the road in 2012!

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Category: CD Reviews