Hey, it’s me, KL Martin. Back in the swing of things after a very very busy end of spring and the first half of summer. I balance a lot of things one of those things being a councilman for a town on the Jersey shore. Yeah, that’s right I’m technically a politician but I promise you there other words I’d rather you call me that are far nicer. But with that starting to finally wind down I’ll be reviewing at my normal clip going forward.
I find it fitting that my first review back is for a band that was technically one of my last reviews a few months ago, Atlas Engine. One of their lead singles “Modern Mind” really blew me away, so I’m pretty excited to be premiering this album, When the Compass Resets..Part 1
Within the first two songs, both lead singles “As You Are“ and “ Modern Mind “ respectively, you realize this album is going to be special. I am a big fan of albums that flow one song into another. There aren’t enough albums that do this and I feel like this approach really adds to the emotional weight of an album when you don’t give the listener a chance to breathe but only to feel what you were feeling while you’re making the album.
Somehow Nick Laface manages in the first two songs to paint a synthy more modern-day Beatles-like feel and an 80s Tron imbued car chase with the same brush.
Yes, you read that sentence correctly.
It’s pretty epic world-building over phenomenal production by a group of musicians that you can tell have worked together before and they do it well.
Listening to the album a few times, the only disappointing part about this album is that I have to wait for a part two and this album is only six songs long. We call that a “good problem” though as it’s epically clear Atlas Engine has done it’s job by leaving me wanting more.
Realistically, the album itself is an absolute banger from start to finish but I will say track 4 “ All I Want is Everything // Alternative State “was on repeat for me for a while. The hook was stuck in my head like an earworm you don’t want to get rid of.
The combination of Nick LaFalce and Meredith Lampe was astounding but I want to take the time to single out how much I enjoy Meredith’s voice In this particular song and “Not Enough”. Her voice is an ethereal allbeit deeper Nina Persson of Swedish band, The Cardigans, and I’m here for it. It compliments everything song as an instrument of its own perfectly
I know I’ve mentioned this in their last review but it cannot be understated. I would love to see Nick do the score or be the music supervisor for a film. It is clear from this entire album tgat he has a distinct understanding and control in regards to emotional crescendo and visualization would make the blindest person see very clearly.
From beginning to end, you will not be disappointed and I am excited for the future both for this band and any of the albums subsequently released.
Put bluntly, Atlas Engine hurry the hell up with part 2.
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- KL Martin