Arriving five years after 2013's
Golden Record,
the Dangerous Summer's eponymous fourth album sees the Maryland-based emo-pop band aging into adult rock introspection, pairing a glossy sunset glimmer with the bitter remains of their youthful angst. On the slicker, more subtle tracks like "Color" and "Luna," frontman
A.J. Perdomo's ragged delivery suggests the quiet desperation of impending middle age set against an unthreatening
Coldplay backdrop. The slightly edgier fare that makes up the bulk of the album generally comes across as decently crafted mainstream alt-rock with a bit of an anthemic
Springsteen-lite flavor. Even when chugging along at full-bore, the production is just slick enough to remain in the safe zone, though the band's punk hackles do seem to rise more fully in the album's final quarter. Though delivered with plenty of earnest intent and pathos, for the most,
the Dangerous Summer turn in a middle-of-the-road outing on this comeback record. [
Dangerous Summer was also released on LP.] ~ Timothy Monger