REVIEW: American Candy//The Maine - Miles Away From Where They Began

4/5 Stars

Waves to Watch: Diet Soda Society, Miles Away

Genre: Alternative rock

Goes great with: The Technicolors, The Eeries, Young Rising Sons

Nothing has ever tasted sweeter for The Maine, perhaps because they have given their fifth full-length the title of American Candy (Universal). The band has proved themselves to be one of the most consistent in the scene over their eight year lifetime, while still managing to grow from pop punk undergrounders to desert-dwelling alt-rockers. So there is no surprise that the five piece, consisting of vocalist John O'Callaghan, guitarists Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco, bassist Garrett Nickelsen, and drummer Pat Kirch, secluded themselves in the SoCal desert to contrive this release.

American Candy could have easily sounded ragged around the edges, instead, capturing the sharp desert ruggedness that O'Callaghan's dusty voice lends so well to. Already, with their lead single "English Girls" - an oddly poignant look back at dirty youth - at hand, it became obvious that we were all in a new era of The Maine. Even with the second single and album's opener, "Miles Away", a new summer soundtrack was underway, as O'Callaghan proclaims, "I felt so alive".

The guys turn to new influences with old sounds, such as the gazing, 90's alt-rock ballad "24 Floors" and "Another Night on Mars", which coincidentally enough is bouncily theatrical akin to Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. "Am I Pretty?" borrows the spirited strumming of now British favorites, The 1975, while the more whimsical "Diet Soda Society" feels faintly reminiscent of a witty comeback delivered by Weezer. The latter's "My mind is on the brink of going supernova" is perhaps the strongest line burrowing in the strongest of the ten tracks.

"(Un)lost" is dreamier and sure to be a crowd anthem on the upcoming American Candy Tour, kicking off Friday in their hometown of Tempe. The title track is much darker than the sweet moniker implies; it is a tune of American indulgence, driven by Kirch's, a humanoid version of The Muppets' Animal, pumping drums.

American Candy is oddly self-obsessed, as it becomes evident, especially on "My Hair", that the five are realizing their aging as both individuals and as a group. Yet, it is hard to worry about them, as they fight for the youth that is still burning inside of them and their instruments. "Same Suit, Different Tie" is simply for themselves, noticing "I feel so fresh, I feel so new". The band has never been completely polished, especially with O'Callaghan's sometimes abtruse words and strange stunts, but The Maine still remains a shiny gem with a dusty undercoat.

Kirch has mentioned that "...for our band, getting away is the best way to make a record". Something clicked for The Maine in Joshua Tree; something kicked into gear that had not before. As the band sets out on a new stretch of their aging career, they will still remain young, dusty, weird, and unlost.

//Angelia//