separate back down to what we were.

Artist: New Atlantic
Album:The Streets, The Sounds, And The Love
Label: Eyeball Records
Release Date: 4.10.07

Jersey's New Atlantic have been touring hard for the last couple of years, putting out a handful of EPs on their own. They recently signed to Eyeball Records and their first full-length, The Streets, The Sounds, And The Love, comes out this Tuesday.

New Atlantic's brand of light, cheerful pop rock sees its most realized form yet on this album. Giovanni Gianni's voice is clear and understandable, and he is capable of hitting the higher notes consistently, something that is hard to pull off and still sound pleasing.

The sweeping guitars draw you right into the songs. It's easy to envision yourself driving with the windows down, wind blowing in your face, with this album playing in your stereo.

"Wire & Stone," which features backup vocals from Cartel's Will Pugh, is a small pop masterpiece, with its soaring hook and slightly more rock n' roll bridge. I'm quite sure this song will be a hit at some level, if not a huge one.

New Atlantic hasn't let signing to a label influence their songwriting style very much at all. The songs have more layers to them - background vocals feature much more prominently than on their previous releases, and the overall mixing of the songs is of much higher quality. Lyrically, some songs show advancement, "What It's Like To Feels Small" in particular:

holding back / I'll see you when the next few days pass through us / like ghosts that keep us even farther from home / We'll fall asleep knowing all the people we meet / will dissolve when home reminds what it's like to feel small

"So If You Try" is sonically very reminiscent of Cartel's "Matter Of Time," but not overpoweringly so. It ends up being a refreshing change of pace midway through the album.

The only older New Atlantic song that is included on this record is "Late Night Television." While this is probably my favorite New Atlantic song, I wish they had included a few others, particularly "This Time Around" or "Ashes Of A Future." "Ashes Of A Future" actually probably would have interrupted the flow of the album, but I think "This Time Around" might have fit in well with the newer songs. At the same time, it's nice to get a lot of new songs.

The Streets, The Sounds, And The Love is a beautiful record. However, I don't think New Atlantic are anywhere near their peak yet. This album is just the beginning - I think they have a lot of room to grow, and I can't wait to watch them do it.


Tracklisting:
01. Cold-Hearted Town
02. Wire And Stone *
03. Now That You're Gone
04. You Get Me *
05. What It's Like To Feel Small
06. I Won't Be Back
07. So If You Try
08. Safer Times
09. Late Night Television *
10. The Ever After
11. The Streets, The Sounds, The Love

* - standout tracks

For fans of: As Tall As Lions, Melee, Lovedrug.

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