After nearly a decade out of the game, The Starting Line couldn’t be blamed for revamping their sound to fit in more comfortably with The Hoteliers of the world. After all, it’s safe to say the majority of their remaining fans are those who lived through the era of the now defunct label, Drive-Thru records. Before disappearing off the face of the earth, however, they dropped one of their most sophisticated LP’s in the form of Direction. It was an album that found the band trying to take themselves more seriously, as evident in the explosive choruses of ‘Island’, or ‘Something Left to Give’s’ introspective lyrics. However, despite the enormous time gap between their last record and their latest EP Anyways, it’s almost like they never left in the first place. With three animated, yet familiar rock tunes that would feel right at home on Direction, the EP feels like a love letter to fans more than anything else.
Due to their lengthy absence many were probably hoping for more than just an EP from the emo/punk veterans, but not a moment is wasted given the limitations. 'Quitter' marches forward with ugency as rapid drums and bouncy keyboards act as an adrenaline shot the the system. Vocalist Kenny Vasoli’s performance is also a real delicacy here, with the title track being a fitting representation of his talent as he shouts passionately over the commanding guitars. He’s always had one of the genre's most unique and recognizable voices, but he sounds truly rejuvenated this time around. Perhaps he’s as thrilled as we are about the band’s return or he’s simply improving with age, but it's hard to remember the last time he sounded this damn enthusiastic. That’s not to say his contributions to his other projects aren’t up to snuff, but he rarely sounds as natural or elated as he does singing with his original lineup from the heart of Pennsylvania.
From a critical standpoint, it's difficult to find anything inherently wrong with The Starting Line's latest batch of songs; these are exuberant and sunny alt-rock tunes, and they do their job accordingly. Perhaps they could have thrown some experimentation into the equation with their latest effort, but it’s such an undeniable pleasure to hear them doing what they do best again. It’s not an album designed for those looking for innovation, but rather an expansion to their discography for those who felt the band’s career was abruptly put on hold. Not only does it feel as though they never left, but it’s also a breath of fresh air to witness a band so faithfully loyal to their roots. There’s no telling if this EP is a sign of things to come – but at least for now – The Starting Line are back with a vengeance.
Due to their lengthy absence many were probably hoping for more than just an EP from the emo/punk veterans, but not a moment is wasted given the limitations. 'Quitter' marches forward with ugency as rapid drums and bouncy keyboards act as an adrenaline shot the the system. Vocalist Kenny Vasoli’s performance is also a real delicacy here, with the title track being a fitting representation of his talent as he shouts passionately over the commanding guitars. He’s always had one of the genre's most unique and recognizable voices, but he sounds truly rejuvenated this time around. Perhaps he’s as thrilled as we are about the band’s return or he’s simply improving with age, but it's hard to remember the last time he sounded this damn enthusiastic. That’s not to say his contributions to his other projects aren’t up to snuff, but he rarely sounds as natural or elated as he does singing with his original lineup from the heart of Pennsylvania.
From a critical standpoint, it's difficult to find anything inherently wrong with The Starting Line's latest batch of songs; these are exuberant and sunny alt-rock tunes, and they do their job accordingly. Perhaps they could have thrown some experimentation into the equation with their latest effort, but it’s such an undeniable pleasure to hear them doing what they do best again. It’s not an album designed for those looking for innovation, but rather an expansion to their discography for those who felt the band’s career was abruptly put on hold. Not only does it feel as though they never left, but it’s also a breath of fresh air to witness a band so faithfully loyal to their roots. There’s no telling if this EP is a sign of things to come – but at least for now – The Starting Line are back with a vengeance.