"Solitary Man" begins
Slowride's sophomore record with a quiet, acoustic country number, before launching into "Smoke Cigarettes," which is more
Stooges then the band's usual references (like
Jawbreaker and
the Get Up Kids). The third track (the angular and catchy "Panther 1") confirms that this isn't just a lucky shot -- the group has progressed beyond its debut to an eclectic and distinctly impossible-to-box-in sound that maintains the pop hooks of Lawrence, Kansas punk, while venturing into a more timeless rock groove.
Building a Building is propulsive and emotional, both dirty and glimmering, and it takes
Slowride, like
the Anniversary, into the realm of unrestricted rock and roll. At times ("New and Entitled"),
Slowride sound like
Weezer circa
Pinkerton, but then they'll follow a track like that with something entirely different (the atmospheric and shuffling psychedelic country tune "Sacrifice v. Apathy," in this case).
Building a Building is an album to be proud of: it's filled with as many great hooks as a
Foo Fighters record, all sorts of references (there's even a little
Pixies in there on "Panther 2"), and is varied enough to validate wearing out the disc with repeated play. ~ Charles Spano