I might as well disclose that Philadelphia’s Restorations are easily one of my favorite bands out there. So if this review sounds biased, well…it is.
Keeping along the lines of a pre-famed Gaslight Anthem and The Menzingers, I have always been attracted to what Restorations produce album after album. I owe it all to the band’s former and current label Tiny Engines actually, as they were the ones to introduce me to them many years back by just tossing me an EP my way to review. The rest is history for me as a fan.
LP5000 is the band’s 4th release and to be perfectly honest, this might be their best one yet. It’s a quick one which sucks because you know, I wanted more, but it’s full of some memorable tracks with equal impacting lyrics and music.
“St.” started off the album with a powerful jam with Jon Loudon and his all too welcoming raspy vocals. This was kind of a triumphant introduction with haste and honesty thrown hard. This song’s best moments where when the band came together with force. It was a perfect indication that this album was going to rule.
“Nonbeliever” followed with more of a political approach about personal current affairs and life in general. With lines like, “if you burn all the fires, they’re going to make you the king” and the all too close to home “got a partner for starters and a kid on the way/can’t be doing this dumb shit no more.” The song manages to hit the head on so many points as it progressed onward.
“Remains” was a rocker touching on past memories that probably would have best been buried rather than unearthed due to such disdainful change. The track carried a great 90s alt-rock feel to it even if it make me want to hang my head low.
Loudon repeating ” no I don’t want to hear that name again” on “Melt” just added to an emo track of sorts clearly about someone once held in a higher regard. This track was beautiful and dreary at the same time with electronic sounding beats layered behind simple guitar picking.
“The Red Door” was incredibly athematic and contained a guitar solo that easily could suck in some well-deserved attention. Add to the catchy drumming and bass-line, and you have yourself a quality track that really showcased the talent this band carries.
“Eye” was more Postal Service sounding at first with the electronic noise but was not at all discouraging. This song was not like the others and was well-received by this listener. I loved the more experimental approach and word has it that there is a locked grove that permits this song to loop infinitely. I can not wait for my copy to get here so I can see if there is truth to that.
I have listened to LP5000 over and over (easily 20+ times now) since it’s release and have not gotten tired of it once. I will tell you it is a lot different from their earlier stuff and is just the cause of maturity and experimentation. Personally, I adore this new sound.
Of course LP5000 is hitting my best of list for 2018. Albums like this are the ones I hold onto for the rest of my life and sporadically will spin when I just can’t seem to find anything else to listen to.
I lucked out and caught them on tour a few weeks back when they played the Grog Shop in Cleveland with my pals Signals Midwest and let me tell you, they are even better live.
Anyways, I feel like I do that whole “do yourself a favor and check this band/album out” shtick of a closing sentence, but I am dead serious this time: This band is far more talented than I feel they are credited for and I’m fairly sure you will agree with me upon listening.
