Arizona native’s and pop/rock trio This Century have (unfortunately) released their final studio album as a band titled Soul Sucker. Despite the inevitable desperation from long-term fans grasping at the chance for one more album, This Century’s impeccable sound maturation will leave them in a state of bliss rather than grief. Soul Sucker is a knockout follow up to the band’s 2013 release, Biography of Heartbreak, an album that was made for warm weather and road trips. The band traded in the summertime pop sound that made up BOH for a more alternative/indie-pop sound, one that will please listeners new and old.
Opening track and title song “Soul Sucker” packs a punch with its energetic intro that’s followed swiftly by lead singer Joel Kanitz’s high-pitched vocals which last for approximately a minute before coming back down to a more modest pitch for the chorus. The contrast between pitches is one that some might find a bit jarring but Kanitz’s voice is so smooth and captivating the thought is gone before the listener can even act on it. “Soul Sucker” is followed by “American Girls,” whose title is a tentative clever parallel with label-mates The Maine’s single, “English Girls.” Soul Sucker is still enchanting at three songs in, the place where most listeners start to get bored and the songs start to sound the same.
“Night Owl” opens with the keys of a piano underneath Kanitz’s voice singing, “I live off the fear of nothin’ happenin’” luring the listener in with the start of a tale about living without regrets. The chorus strikes up the band and the song lifts off taking the listener into the darkness with the night owl. Halfway through the album at track five, “Hot Friends” starts off as a song with a regular tempo and beat as well as lyrics about living free: “We dance all night/we can make plans till we see the light/now look alive/running around like a wild child/we lose our minds.” That is until the bridge hits and the smooth guitars and drums drastically turn into an eerie screeching and moaning with Kanitz dragging out the phrase “I’m going crazy can’t you tell” throughout. The song picks back up and closes as if nothing has happened, leaving the listener in a state of bewilderment. The rest of the album follows suite and is a mesmeric listen with songs about love that’s just out of reach (“Seven”) as well as the anxiety-driven struggle of growing up (“Relapse”).
Overall, Soul Sucker is an album that will leave fans of This Century filled with pride and nostalgia of everything the band has accomplished since their start in 2007. Their sound and talent has only matured gracefully in the past eight years and Soul Sucker is the perfect conclusion to the This Century era. Good luck to the guys and their future endeavors.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “Night Owl”, “Hot Friends,” “Unforgivable”
