Review: The New Low – Continuance

August 10, 2016 BearlySinister 0 All Posts, Melodic, Pop, Reviews, Rock,

Artist: The New Low
Album: Continuance
Rating: 10/10

Don’t you hate it when seemingly-active bands go off-the-grid and dark on social media? Well, we do too so… when Hearts & Hands did that, we were crushed. Being such an a monumental, amazing band… we were waiting with bated breath to hear what was next from these talented individuals (in the form of their promised album Continuance). Instead, we were met with the announcement that they were playing one final show under that name before starting a new chapter. Little did we know, this new chapter would be far more impressive than its predecessor! The New Low, as they’re called now, is much more than a rebirth.. it’s a movement. They made their voices heard with the release of a cover of Adele’s “Hello” that has racked up over 130,000 plays on YouTube in 8 months. This was just the beginning, as 4 months later, they finally hit us with their debut single “Burning Bridges” which showed us a major sound change from what we’ve been used to from these guys. Boasting a soaring, poppy chorus and dual vocals from Garrett Garfield and bassist Fletcher Howell. Noticeably different from one another but still incredibly in-tune with one another, you can’t help but get a bit of an ISSUES vibe from them. That same day, they released pre-orders for Continuance and the journey began.

To say that Continuance is an unexpected surprise, is underplaying just how amazing this album is. It’s got just enough bounce to appeal to fans of pop music, just enough edge to appeal to rock music fans and just enough of R&B flavor vocally to appeal to fans on the R&B side of the musical spectrum. Put simply, this album has something for everyone. Upon ONE listen, it quickly jumped to one of my most played albums in my collection and I’d find underlying elements that I didn’t catch in the previous listens. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve still got plenty of aggression to them… but you don’t always need screams to convey that. The level of emotion in each track truly gets into your skin, making it that much more intense for the listener. After many struggles that could have broken them, they’ve found a way to prove that they’re not going anywhere. They are all that Continuance embodies and they want listeners to know that, if they can push through their struggles, you can as well. You’re not alone and they’re here for anyone who has any type of struggle they’re going through.

This album is designed to help you realize that you aren’t alone, no matter what you’re feeling. Feeling betrayed or like you can’t fix someone, no matter how you try? Take a listen to “Burning Bridges” and take in the message that you don’t have to! You can’t help those who don’t desire to help themselves, burn that bridge and move on. Is someone trying to take credit for your accomplishments, to tell you that you’d be nothing without them? A heavier mood sets the tone of “My Own Way” and reminds you that it’s alright to stand up for yourself in these situations. This is the first track on the album where you’ll hear screams but they fit the mood perfectly. Do you not know where you belong in the world, scared of what’s next? TNL wants you to know you’re not alone, it’s alright to be afraid. Feeling uncertain at times is perfectly okay, only you can make your path in life and, as you can’t see into the future, you never know what impact your decisions are going to have. Overcome the darkness, destroy the doubt and be the best “you” that you can be! The title track, “Continuance” goes hand-in-hand with “Burning Bridges” to let you know what you need to when you feel the “burn” of betrayal. “Rise up, like a phoenix from the ashes when everything you know goes up in flames. Rise up, like a phoenix from the ashes and when you feel it start to burn, let fire be a lesson learned!” Learn from the mistakes of the past, to keep history from repeating itself.

There is a lot to take from this album. Perseverance, though, is really the ongoing theme here. No matter what you go through, you can push through it.. you’re never alone. Continuance still remains among my top favorite albums of 2016, for good reason. If you haven’t picked this album up yet, please… do yourselves a favor and rectify that! You can also check it out on Spotify, YouTube, etc… but there’s no substitute for having a hard copy that you can hold in your hands. These guys worked tirelessly, through many different struggles, to finally bring you an album they feel worthy of your attention. New Transcendence vouches 100% for that… don’t sleep on it! Check out the video for “Burning Bridges” below, for a teaser of what you’ll get with the rest of Continuance.