Kill The Arcade are certainly improving. Using the old ‘musical maturity’ card is a reviewer’s cop out, but in terms of songwriting you can tell KTA are becoming comfortable in their own skin. And while the band seem to attract a marmite-effect love/hate relationship regarding some alleged off-stage antics, this 4-tracker on Tree Brain continues to show improvment. More melodic than their last effort, and perhaps switching a little bit in sound too, ‘An Imposter In The Family’ reminds me a bit of the new Boys Night Out record – ultimately pop-punk, but with dark undertones.
The four songs here are certainly very good, reminding me a little of their labelmates Tonight Is Goodbye in places. The second track has a vocal arrogance and swagger that suits the band well and the use of gang vocals is always a nice touch. There’s still a Taking Back Sunday feel throughout, which means KTA do sound like a lot of other US acts, but on the basis of this record at least, they’re not a million miles away from catching the better bands up.