![]() There is bravery in this songwriting, and it is clear that each member is aware of the opportunity this album presents. The tracks are, on the whole, much longer than TA’s past work, allowing each tune and theme to develop more fully. New doors are being opened, but old ones are not being closed. That is perhaps what makes Stage Four so special - it does not compromise in its growth. Across the album are lyrics so bold, so nakedly emotional, that only Bolm could sell them: “I’m not sure what I believe / I think that’s understood / but I know she’s looking out for me / the way she said she would.” And sell them he does, creating more emotional peaks and valleys than you can count on first listen. On the other hand, tracks like “Softer Spoken” and “Water Damage” have an entirely new feel, proving that the band is not only out to remodel their past, but build something new. It’s everything a long time fan could want, and nice to know the band hasn’t outgrown their penchant for melodrama. “Displacement” is clear offspring of Parting The Sea Between Brightness and Me – concise and driving with the sharp turns that made so many take notice. “Palm Dreams” is a direct descended of the best work on 2013’s …Is Survived By, an album that solidified the group as something more than they seemed – hooky and cathartically aggressive in equal parts. This album is big, loud, heavy but never violent, and bolstered by a strength that lifts the listener up, rather than a weight that pushes them down. Many other albums and artists who address the subjects of death and grief have a tendency to let their music occupy a space of quiet isolation, think Sun Kil Moon (who gets a direct shout out on the song “New Halloween”). Lyrical content aside, the group’s musical evolution on Stage Four is worth a great deal of attention. ![]() ![]() This deeply personal trial charts the course for the record, and is just as moving as one might hope. Instead of the effective but somewhat broad themes that came before, this album is about grief – specifically grief in response to the death of lead singer Jeremy Bolm’s mother. This album, like TA’s previous work, is tied together by a central theme. Stage Four is that rare album - something that builds on the foundation of their best work, and elevates them to new and admirable heights. Too many bands fall victim to this last, and it is the rare band that proves to be a more meaningful, more effective unit four albums on. With each consecutive album fans listen in to see if the group they care for has matured and grown better with time, or if they abandon their past entirely in the name of something new, or if it was merely that initial rush of creative energy that distinguished them. It can be difficult watching your favorite band grow.
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