Four Year Strong-The Security of the Familiar (Single)
Four Year Strong changed themselves dramatically last year with their fourth album In Some Way, Shape, Or Form in shedding keyboardist Josh Lyford and leaving their sense of fun behind for a much more serious mind-set. The album itself suffered because of this with only parts of it truly soaring and hitting with the punch they were intended to, the problem being that it felt simultaneously both more straight-forward and less resonant. Its predecessor Enemy of the World dealt with highly significant themes in its stories of loss and conviction but in an undeniably uplifting manner and ultimately felt much more affecting.
This new single represents these sentiments, it's very decent post-hardcore tinged rock that has great moments such as its "now I'm hanging by a thread" breakdown and ever-powerful dual-vocals of frontmen Dan O'Connor and Alan Day, but overall it just lacks that special something that they, without question, possessed beforehand. Like many of the songs on the album it has brilliant elements but falls slightly flat as a complete song.
Decent stuff but certainly not their finest hour.