If Rushmore Records was created to nurture and bring through new talents, then The Track Record are a perfect fit – their The Starting Line-meets-Jimmy eat World brand of pop-punk is a polished diamond in the rough, showing enough potential to warrant further inspection, but lacks the ideas and overall quality to challenge either band at this point in time. TTR certainly have that ‘Drive Thru sound’ that everyone harks on about – there are melodies and hooks aplenty on an enjoyable EP, even if it barely breaks any new boundaries.
The vocal melodies on this EP are spot on and probably save it from mediocrity. Tracks like ‘Plans To wake Up On The Beach’ and ‘Golden’ are huge singalong tracks that make an immediate impact, although I do feel they may not leave such a lasting impression. The same cannot be said for the more urgent ‘Letters To Summer’, which ends the EP in fine fashion. It’s faster in pace, yet has plenty of sweet melodies to have the summer starting on the right footing. But while those songs are impressive, ‘Winter’s Run’ tends to drag on a little bit, with the vocals certainly sounding like Kenny from TSL. I like what they’re trying to do, but on this song at least, they don’t quite pull it off.
The recent This Providence album is similar in style to this self-titled record, although for me the sickly-sweet melodies on TP’s album better this EP. Still, The Track Record have certainly laid the foundations for a solid career, if they can perhaps forge more of their own identity in the future.
www.thetrackrecord.com
Rushmore Records
Paul