Traveller – ‘Resist, Part 1’.
Traveler – Fenton/St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
For our previous work on the band – Click Here.
‘Part I of II – an album based around resistance and working towards what’s right’
Within moments of the first track of this latest EP from Fenton/St. Louis four-piece Traveller, you can hear the maturity the band have gained. A review of the band’s first release can be found above and as you will hear it was an EP comprised of Pop-Punk leaning stylistics, bred with a general “alternative” sound that took it from the aforementioned onward to influence from both Post-Hardcore and Pop-Rock.
‘Kindling’ has an almost danceable rhythm and its percussion although playful and rhythmic and playful is relentless in its own fashion. The looming lead-strings intermittently fall in and out in an almost haunting but immersive manner giving the track an unexpected progressive direction.
Part I of this album with a conscience is very clear in it’s conviction and with ‘Islands’, the second track and second single after ‘Kindling’ – I am well and truly hooked. The latter two and most recent albums by the esteemed Crime In Stereo come to mind when listening to the progressive-Punk fuelled ‘Islands’ as it marks some of the band’s best to date.
Normally I am not one for synths and guitars toned in this vein but with Traveller, I cannot get enough. ‘Kingsmen’ continues the drive of ‘Islands’ as this band continue to impress. – ‘All that’s left to do is run, theres no point in fighting [..] when the king’s men come’.
From the 2:45 mark the skill at arms of this band is clear, if I had heard this release first and then Something Blue I would have struggled to make the parallels. Overall you can hear the same collective but the difference and progression is staggering.
‘Crossroads’ is vocally speaking, more in the way of what I would consider “classic” from Traveller. Lyrically speaking you are hit by a melancholic determination but also revelation. You do you best to find your path with those you around you in toe but the past has its power over you still and with ‘Crossroads’, despite its melodic and progressively toned Pop-Rock delivery, it is somewhat harrowing.
‘Crossroads’ in all isn’t as strong as its predecessors but it does boast more of the classically orientated but progressively toned guitar-leads that contrast the soaring melodies as well as they are able.
‘The Judge’ Closes this emotional EP. This final instalment takes the band’s listed influence of Post-Rock instrumentally with the tracks layered structure gently ebbing as a sad story is told of masking, suppression, oppression and loss.
In many ways you feel incomplete by the end of ‘The Judge’ and I would utter some semblance of criticism but then I remembered… Part II is en-route.
Find the band below:
#StayFresh
