Taking a little bit of old, but more of the new, Our Last Night continue their progress from misunderstood metalheads to a slick, mature alt-rock group. Their newest single, "Common Ground" was released just in time for their tour with Hands Like Houses, The Color Morale, and Out Came the Wolves.
To buy this single on iTunes click this (link). And don't forget to catch them on the "Face to Face" Tour later this month.
The boy haven't taken a moment off, releasing a string of cover singles since their 2015 album, "Younger Dreams". And they're continuing the progression towards the lighter sound they started on said album. It's not for everyone, and it's not perfect. The song could use with a good dose of energy, maybe even an adrenaline shot. The pace starts off slow, and that's to be expected. By the time the chorus comes around, we're expecting things to burst to life. They don't.
We're waiting and waiting for that "punch" that never shows. The song remains flat. This could be acceptable if it were meant to be a slower, softer ballad type track. But it's not. The little energy that does come across only lasts about 10 seconds in the second verse. And that's only because of the random screaming throw in just to please those fans who gripe about the band not doing enough heavy material. In all honesty, the unclean vocals are totally unneccessary. The second verse would have been better off just sung, instead of screamed. No emotion, just Trevor screaming for the sack of throwing some screams in there.
If anything the song comes off as forced, unoriginal and generic. In a sea of other songs about fighting war for no reasons, and being angry for something you don't believe in, it doesn't stand out. Election 2016 is closing in on us, and it's clear the band wanted to bank on any uneasy feelings listeners might have. But the song should have been much more aggressive and angsty, like "The Broken" by Youth in Revolt (which we just reviewed). Instead we get a slower, alt rock track that doesn't gain momentum and remains stagnant throughout its 4 minute duration.
Summary -
In the end, Our Last Night still haven't perfected their "new" sound. They have bugs to work out as they find themselves, but we're happy to be along for the ride. If anything, this single proves that the band aren't afraid to venture into uncharted waters, and push themselves. Much respect for the band for that. But guys, come on, stop trying so hard. You know that sound you had on "Oak Island", that worked in your favor. Stick to that. These days, OLN seems more like a cover band.
Rating - 7 to 7.5/10