Marianas Trench – Astoria – Album Review

604 Records

http://www.marianastrench.net

by Nicole Ireland

For those who aren’t existing fans of Marianas Trench, Astoria is a great album with really catchy, memorable, and musically interesting songs. For those who are already big fans of the band, this album will rip your heart out and make you feel a lot of feelings you didn’t know you had.

Astoria is the best version of Marianas Trench thus far.  Every MT album has a different quality, and this one is no exception. The special thing about this release is that while it has a completely unique sound, it incorporates elements of the band’s earlier albums. Yes, I am 100% talking about the wonderful harmonies that this album is filled with.  And while they did tug at my heart, it was the references to their earlier work that completely ripped it out of my chest.

The band has cleverly incorporated old song titles and lyrics throughout the album.  It’s such a fantastic tribute to their past and shows how far they’ve come as a band. I had no clue that mentioning old song titles could stir up so many emotions! If you want to know exactly what I’m talking about, listen to “Dearly Departed.” It’s a really lovely song and it’s probably my favourite track on the album. If you’re as big a fan as I am, I can assure you that there will be goosebumps-a-plenty when you listen to it.

The great thing about the Astoria tracks is that they’re unlike anything I’ve heard recently. Is it still pop music?  Definitely.  Is it still radio friendly? Absolutely. The difference is that it’s an elevated version of radio pop.  Josh Ramsay, the band’s lead singer/songwriter, felt that the whole story of the album felt very cinematic. He decided to run with that so the album feels very big, theatrical, and most definitely cinematic. There isn’t a single track that slips between the cracks. Every song is memorable, and every one could be a fantastic radio single.

Astoria is a truly great album from a band that continues to make their indelible mark on Canadian music. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it and I’m really looking forward to the response. It’s the kind of music that you won’t get sick of hearing on the radio over and over again, and I believe it’s the kind of pop music we need right now.