Like a lot of noise-pop bands that debuted in the late 2000s and early 2010s,
Male Bonding stripped away much of the surface static and buzz on their second album. While too many of their contemporaries lost something in the process, the trio gains clarity and catchiness on
Endless Now. Working with producer
John Agnello, the promise the band showed on
Nothing Hurts snaps into focus, revealing singalong melodies backed by bracing rhythms and embracing harmonies. This is punk-pop that’s blurred around the edges, a blend of amped-up sounds and sensitive words that aim straight for the heart. John Arthur Webb's whispery vocals feel like they’re sung directly to the listener, making the slashing riffs and crashing drums surrounding him seem even more pummeling, especially on “Tame the Sun” and “Seems to Notice Now.” With
Endless Now's more focused sound comes a newfound emotional perspective; in every sense, this is a band that’s growing up. “Be brave and take control of you,” Webb urges on the fantastic “Before It’s Gone,” a song that laments and celebrates change at the same time by putting bittersweet sentiments to undeniably rousing music. Webb turns that pithy insight on touch-and-go relationships on “What’s That Scene?” (backed by witty ‘50s doo wop vocals that underscore the song’s teenage tumult) and self-loathing on “Channeling Your Fears.”
Male Bonding expands its music along with honing it on “Bones,” a six-and-a-half minute epic awash in gorgeous harmonies, some of which are provided by
Frankie Rose of
Frankie and the Outs; the hazy, almost psychedelic “Can’t Dream,” and the fleeting acoustic ballad “The Saddle.” This feeling of growing up and growing out of things is summed up beautifully on
Endless Now's last song: “Dig You” is a bouncy kiss-off to a dead-end relationship buoyed by the nagging refrain “You know that it won’t go away.”
Male Bonding may have lost some of their eclectic edge here, but it’s a small sacrifice considering the huge steps forward they’ve made. Bittersweet and incredibly catchy,
Endless Now is the kind of album that just gets better with repeated listening. ~ Heather Phares