Once the big, oversized intro has been navigated,
Medications' debut album,
Your Favorite People All in One Place is a series of softer angles than the members' past work in
Faraquet and
Smart Went Crazy. Luckily, vocalist/guitarist Devin Ocampo, drummer Andrew Becker, and bassist Chad Molter have chosen the latter's style and melodic sensibilities to sit in the front seat rather than the admittedly "pointy" angles of
Faraquet. Sure, there are still some "points," as on "Magazines for Entertainment"'s almost waltzy intro and jangly breakdowns, but tracks like "This Is the Part We Laugh About," with an electric piano intro and
Jeff Buckley-like vocal delivery shifting into a retro-early-'90s alt-shuffle, give this debut the necessary balance it needs. On the whole, the album floats from track to track, not being so cut and dry -- each song fits to its follower -- much like a
Mars Volta suite, rather than just a math rock pummeling, which brings up the question: Is this a case of a late pioneer being influenced by those they (and other Dischord bands) have influenced in the next wave? Possibly, but who cares when an album segues and flows as well as this does? Some angular rock can sound a bit cold, a bit clinical, but when it's coupled with warmth and instrumentation and melodies like this, it becomes a welcome challenge. ~ Chris True