Mad Ones – “Regretless” [Album Review]

Toronto’s Mad Ones may have added a third member for release number three but musically, they don’t do much to tamper with the sound they have cultivated. If anything, Regretless‘s 11 tracks represent an expansion of the sound they have cultivated over the course of three albums and two EPs.

The lead-off track, “End of You,” is a jangly tune that finds the band confronting the current political climate through the lens of someone living during the Industrial Revolution. Don’t let the jaunty feel fool you, the track tackles heady themes over the course of three minutes. They lighten up with “Love Me Again”, which harkens back to their first EP. It’s a driving hard rock song that that provides a perfect showcase for their beefed-up line-up and sound.

By expanding to a three-piece, Mad Ones even flirt with accessibility. The recording’s title track is tailor-made for “modern rock” radio. It’s the type of music that’s perfectly suited to summer music festivals. And thanks to the range of styles found on the album, they would likely land slots on anything from indie rock-friendly fests to touring punk festivals. The driving “Amaze” would definitely put them on the radar of programmers of the latter while “In the Palace” would doubtlessly catch the ear of Pavement fans heading to an event all the indie buzz bands were playing.

Regretless is full of energetic tracks, but the band still slows things down a little on a couple songs. “It Never Rains” is the kind of song that is perfectly suited to quiet introspection on a gloomy day. A sense of tension that never quite bursts forth informs “Claws and Teeth”. They wrap things up with a reprise of “Love Me Again” titled, “Love Me Again (Again)”; a slowed-down, minimal version of the track that they transform into a heartfelt plea to a lost lover.

Regretless clearly shows that Mad Ones believe that if it ain’t broke, make some slight adjustments but for the most part, don’t fix it. Becoming a trio has helped the band to flesh out and refine their sound. The results speak for themselves and it’s a solid effort.

Regretless Track Listing:

01. End of You
02. Love Me Again
03. Regretless
04. In the Palace
05. Leave It
06. Right and Wrong
07. Different Kind Again
08. It Never Rains
09. Amaze
10. Claws and Teeth
11. Love Me Again (Again)

Run Time: 41 minutes
Release Date: March 3, 2017

Check out the song “End of You”