album of the week: 11.3

Thomas Tantrum

Mad By Moonlight

(2011)

why you'll love it: cute, really nice sounding guitar

why you'll hate it: abandons the fresh and manic pace of the debut

Whenever a band promotes their upcoming release as "mature" or sort of discrediting their previous style, that is a sure-fire sign they're about to go wishy-washy mainstream. It's sad to say the once hyperactive and catchy Thomas Tantrum has done just that.

Megan Thomas is still singing about the same things (depression, insomnia...) she was on the first album, but being a lot less coy and quirky with it. It's sort of like how Hello Saferide took a more serious turn with her sophomore album. In this case, at least they're still trying to stay catchy. It's the unhinged vocal delivery and unpredictable shifts in pace that have been scrapped on this release. Basically all the things that made this band stand out.

Now they don't stand out. They're supermarket rock. As disappointing as that is... it's not terrible music. While I don't remember a moment of what I heard, I least I know it was ok while it was playing. I didn't want to turn it off, I can say that much. I know "Hey, it's not shit!" is no great praise, but I was absolutely certain this album would be shit. It's... passable. I'd just rather them sound like they did, and be criticized for sounding too much like Life Without Buildings every once and a while, than sound like this.