Translations:Two if by Sea

Title: Translations

Label: Speedbump

Genre: new wave/post-punk

Rating: 5 of 7

Much like dance-punks Radio 4, Two if by Sea utilizes heavy dance beats and grooves via live instruments, but try to be emotional and convey a message. Also much like Radio 4, this gets very redundant and overwhelming. The Baltimore quintet has only been around for three years and this is their first full length, so I am going to give them a break. The band is striving for a 80s new wave/post-punk sound, and they do get close, but there is only one major problem: there are plenty of other better and already proven bands doing the exact same thing. There are definitely high points on this album, including #6 and 7, where they get a little more experimental with their sound, including synth breakdowns and more abstract song structures. This is a promising debut, but I think they need to shut themselves off from the scene for a little while to discover their own sound.

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