The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World

Motion City Soundtrack

Despite thinking they have an undeniable emo, pop-rock classic with 2005's Commit This to Memory, I never really followed the band's career beyond that. That may change after listening to the band's new album The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World; an album that breaks a ten year studio album silence. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did given that I tend to gravitate towards more adventurous production these days. However, this album proves that the band has an endearing new wave-infused, pop-rock sound, a unique vocal tone in Justin Pierre, and above all else, immense songwriting strengths. The choruses, especially in the first half of the record, are really infectious. The band also displays a great deal of range, delivering quirky humour (Particle Physics), melancholic slow burns (Your Days Are Numbered), and even sassy arena rock (Bloodline) all without a misstep.

The first big highlight for me is You Know Who the Fuck We Are, a song that immediately busts in with a catchy guitar riff that is accompanied by the covert frequency sweep of a Moog synthesizer. I also love the naive sense of being untouchable that exudes from this track. It brings me back to my formative years, running around with my friends while engaging in mild mischief. I also really like Downer for its steadfast, peppy energy. The botched entrance into the second chorus with unflattering, whammied chords is a very laissez-faire, rock 'n' roll detail that augments the song's cool factor. Bridges in songs rarely get a shout out, but this track has a killer one. The melodies are so great, and the urgency in Pierre's voice escalates as we get closer to a very satisfying crescendo. Surprisingly, my favourite song has to be Your Days Are Numbered. I draw a lot of parallels to Weezer's beloved Only In Dreams. I would say they share the same defeated energy, but it's mostly the dynamics between the soft verses and powerful, driving choruses that beg the comparison. Mat Kerekes' (Citizen) gruff hollers make an appearance towards the end of the track, bringing the song to a new emotional high.

While I do think this is a really solid rock record, I fell short of loving it personally as it does land on the simpler side in terms of production, sound design, and ideas. I would prefer to see a little more experimentation in the guitar tones in order to create more memorable moments, and perhaps some bolder, more unexpected, or eccentric ideas. I also remember being very impressed with Tony Thaxton's drumming on Commit This to Memory, so I was a tad disappointed that I didn't feel as excited about his performances on this record. Regardless of my minor complaints, this is still a very fun, no frills rock record that should appease the long time fans that have been waiting patiently for the band's return.