Masked Intruder – Love and Other Crimes EP
Review by Zoe Marquedant
The charm of Masked Intruder is their carefree, crime-themed attitude. The band commits to their gimmick consistently with pride. They wear their matching ski masks to every show and never drop their accents. It’s the kind of enthusiasm that an audience can really get behind and even casual listeners have to appreciate. Their songs hold an equally admirable adherence to character. For each release, the band has churned out sweet, pop rock songs and Love and Other Crimes is no exception.
The record is a short but sweet EP that, like their previous work, swings between divulging their criminal histories and often, in turn, explaining the slightly creepy, stalker-like, lovesick behavior of Intruder Yellow, Intruder Green, Intruder Red and Intruder Blue. It all starts with “Take What I Want,” a springy, upbeat tune that outlines the band’s larceny streak. The track is infectious, not too serious, simple pop rock. Although previous singles like “Crime Spree” feature a less high pitched Blue on lead vocals and a more synth-centric melody, it is ultimately a pretty standard Masked Intruder song.
Things smooth out and slow down just a bit for “First Star Tonight.” The track is more guitar solo than anything else, but who’s complaining? What lyrics there are show Masked Intruder’s softer side, as seen in older tracks like “Almost Like We’re Already in Love.” It’s moments like these that prove that Masked Intruder really is just “4 dudes with color-coded ski masks and instruments crooning about stalking.”
The band returns to their rap sheet for “Beyond A Shadow of a Doubt,” in which they complain about having to stay 100 yards away from “the only girl [they’ve] ever thought about.” Beyond spotlighting their stalker tendencies, the song really showcases the vocal harmonies and clever rhymes of their music. The band plays the quick footed victors in “Running From the Cops,” a song about the obvious, that will make you want to play Bonnie to their Clyde.
Masked Intruder is betrayed by their lady love in “Still Always On My Mind” when they’re ratted out to the judge, but thankfully they’re forgiving. The song is also musically the least repetitive on the record. Whereas other tunes on the EP are sparse on the melody, this one has more of a fleshed out feeling and a solo to boot. The same can be said of the closer, “If Only.” Not only does the song include a Wonder Years (no, not the Soupy Campbell band) reference, but it also has a crop of drum fills courtesy of Red and some of the band’s smarter lyrics.
Overall, the album finishes strong. It’s clear throughout and decidedly in the end that this band still knows who they are and what they want: to steal your stuff and your heart. Love and Other Crimes may not be the strongest of Masked Intruder’s releases, but it sparks curiosity and leaves listeners waiting for a full-length follow-up.
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “If Only” & “Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt”
