Let me start off by saying that it's all good. But the tracks I'm about to list aren't ones you put on as decent background tunes. They're the ones that you immediately purchase off of iTunes and end of mumbling the words to even when the song isn't playing.
The Upbeat
"Looking Up"
It acknowledges the band's previous in-fighting. Apparently, the boys weren't too fond of playing second fiddle to Hayley. True, she's the face of the band, but most aspiring musicians don't aspire to be easily replaceable and forgettable. No Doubt had the same issue a few decades ago and they solved it, I'd say, by giving a public personality to all of the band members. Hopefully, this band will do the same in the promotion of this album and their upcoming tour. In the mean time, they've worked it out with musical therapy, spouting lyrics like, "I can't believe we almost hung it up! / We're just getting started!"
"Where the Lines Overlap"
This song is great for how easy it is for audiences to sing/chant along with. Hayley sings, "I've got a feeling / if i sang this loud enough / you would sing it back to me." That feeling is spot-on.
The Heart-Wrenchers
"The Only Exception"
When I first heard this song, I thought it sounded kind of like country-pop. Like if Avril Lavigne struck it big using the Taylor Swift business plan (minus the dresses). But as I continued to replay it—trust me, it's a good thing it wasn't a cassette tape—I started to hear, believe it or not, a little of Zooey Deschanel and Scarlett Johansson's raspy voices...and I liked it. I heard in an interview that the band idolizes Kings of Leon, and even though both bands are from Tennessee, they acknowledge that Kings of Leon sound more like a Southern rock band than they do. But if they were attempting to sound like one, this is the song that achieved that goal—it would seem almost effortlessly.
"All I Wanted"
Considering that her genre doesn't call for diva-esque vocals, Hayley is an amazing singer. But from all the songs I've heard off of this album, this one proves that she can reach Melissa Etheridge rock pitches that'll give you chills.
Also, I acknowledge that the popularity marker on iTunes says that fans are particularly amped for "Careful" and "Ignorance." I totally understand the addiction to "Ignorance." It's sort of in the same vein as "Misery Business," complete with vengeful, biting lyrics and a catchy chorus: "Ignorance is your new best friend!" This is one of those bands that gets better with age and through strife. I'm already excited to hear the next album.
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