In “Android Men,” the mechanical hiss and static sweep of feedback saturate a world of cold, dead hearts; at once lush and ethereal, McAllister’s vocals call from beyond the wall of sound. Dark washes of sound flood the black sonic landscape, desolate and quiet, before suddenly punctuated by a grand, sweeping chorus, inviting the listener into the safety of a world beyond man’s control. As McAllister here sings “somewhere out there / there’s a hero / come to save the world,” an inner beacon shines from the darkness, answering and echoing in a new abyss. Driven by rhythmic drums and the sprawling textures of keys, the track is reminiscent of early-Pink Floyd, as classic rock crescendos and contemplative ambience coalesce into a heady, engaging, and unreal journey.
“Burn Away” finds McAllister at his most intimate. McAllister, at once Robert Wyatt and Roger Waters, croons over the downtempo ballad; laden with melancholy and a curious optimism, the track steps in and out of Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie, searching for a cure to a life of idle miseries. McAllister’s sparse vocals pair with the uplifting instrumentation, as delicate keys (think Rick Wakeman) immerse the listener in an after-hours sorrow, his lilting progression through each verse another wave of numbing relief. Bluesy phrasings and strident, smart lyrics match note-by-note the interplay of guitar and vocals – it’s a song to pull away from the world and its sorrows, if only for a moment.
McAllister takes a rock edge to a sordid affair in “Undone.” Beneath the surface, centering the song is a rootsy bassline, embellished by the hum of acoustic guitar. “I used to say / We could walk away,” McAllister sings, “But I always thought we'd stay / But these things happen every day.” Pulling into a sun-soaked chorus, the swell of strings reveals a triumphant self-revelation: “I'm becoming / Undone,” now facing a world cracked beyond repair. Slick guitar lines match perfectly with the steady rhythm, punctuating the grey clouds with moments of blissful recognition. On a downcast day, “Undone” revels in the harsh reality of love gone wrong.
Finding McAllister and Hamilton at their most resilient, “Crossroads of Love” is pure sin, as McAllister sings of becoming lost in a love beyond one’s means. Matching the steady reverb of guitar, McAllister’s rich voice warns of a deal with a devilish temptress: “She wears angels wings / and she wears them well / but she stole those wings / from someone else.” Rolling from phrase to phrase, the song chronicles a road well-traveled by all lost souls, into the hands of a demonic drive.
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