Album Review: "Midnight Sun" EP by Our Vintage Film

I got caught up in "Road Trip" off Nashville band, Our Vintage Fim's Midnight Sun EP from the first few bars. There's something to be said about a rock band, pop punk or whatever style you think, that incorporates a good keys/piano sound into their music. It speaks to a greater understanding of how to music works together, how a piano sound doesn't have to slow a rock song to a ballad. I'm biased but I've always loved a good piano rock song (think a la Something Corporate).

While "Road Trip" is simplistic in its lyrics the music behind it is was catches the ears, not the lyrics. That's the same through the EP, straightforward words with a complicated musical backing. It's not to say that the lyrics aren't good, but they aren't as original, and at times a little cliche. There's nothing wrong with phrases like "all time lows" and "forever young" but they are over done. The moments described are likely actual moments that happened, direct memory to song correlations, making the music fit the moment.

Writing a more complicated music phrase, one that is explicitly stating the thought and the moment comes with time though and something that can be learned. It doesn't take away from the music, I just feel like it would keep it from striking as a deep a chord with a listener as it might with the person who wrote it. Parts of the songs are relatable, but in general I don't know if it will be the kind of music that sinks home deeply. "Midnight Sun (War)" gets the closest to those type of lyrics that resonate, that when the meaning finally gets through stick in your head, and it's probably the best song on the entire EP lyrically.

With as good as "Road Trip" is musically and "Midnight Sun (War)" is lyrically, "Summer" is as cliche as it gets. It sounds like a bad attempt to be what mainstream music is pushing pop punk style bands into, cheesy lyrics and this one comes with an added rap bit in the middle of it. The music isn't as good as they've already proved they are capable of writing and compared to the other songs, it's weak in comparison. It's trying too hard to force the group into the Big Time Rush bubble, the Justin Bieber corner and it's not good, even compared to its more popular counterparts that aren't good either, it's much worse. While the rest of the EP is worth listening to, something I'd hang on to and add into rotations and playlists, that song I'm not keeping. There's not need to force hip hop into a band that doesn't need it, or to push the lines of how many months are girls' names. There are moments of the song that could be redeemable, but no enough to make up for the worse parts.

I recommend checking out their music off their EP on their Facebook page, but don't be surprised if "Summer" is a let down. If you like it, it's available on iTunes.

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