You Are Something True - The People In Your Life May Be Closer Than They Appear
You Are Something True is a modern pop duo comprised of members Brett Hanley and Tim Lindsay. Their debut, The People In Your Life May Be Closer Than They Appear, released on April 21st, 2021, is a solid debut likely to please any fan of pop.
Before you’re turned off by the tags “indie pop” and “alternative,” listen to the opening track Wind Chime Symphony. The album opens with an admirable thumping drum kit that’s as beautifully mastered as it is executed on point, counterbalanced exquisitely by its powerful pop chorus. While the vocals are slightly off in contrast to the heavier elements of the song, they work more fluently throughout the remaining album. Each song following the opener are similarly distinct, offering a wide range of moods and instrumentals. Most impressive are the acoustics, which are remarkably clean and consistently executed with sharp precision, as they are throughout The People In Your Life May Be Closer Than They Appear.
It’s plainly obvious that You Are Something True rarely listens to anything outside the domain of pop; though. As a result, The People In Your Life May Be Closer Than They Appear can’t help sound like an imitation of every pop album that preceded it. Thankfully Hanley’s vocals are distinct, giving him the upper edge over similar radio-friendly content, and the album exceeds at conveying his emotion to the listener. They do come with mixed results, however; as the album overdoes the belting. Comforting Friend and Crying Fits are both standouts for this reason; their more subdue timbre of vocals are far more fitting within the mix, and the louder deliveries add a solid contrast to the mix when they’re not overdone and relied on.
At the end of the day, The People In Your Life May Be Closer Than They Appear is most impressive for its technical brilliance. The album is clean, gorgeously spacious, and consistent from start to finish. Sadly, the pop conventions are restrictive, as they often are; the album rarely innovates. One can only hope in future You Are Something True do everything they can to innovate their sound, both sonically and compositionally. The band is on the right track incorporating a wide variety of instrumentals; here’s hoping they break the 4/4 time signatures next time, or at least compose grander suites.
Above Average
Listen to it here:
https://popspirit.bandcamp.com/album/the-people-in-your-life-may-be-closer-than-they-appear
