Band Continues Uncommon Existence

Known for mixing screaming with singing and driving beats with creative melodies, Thursday’s new album Common Existence embraces these strengths, though scattered among solid songs are less successful experiments.
Traditional Thursday sounds include “Friends in the Armed Forces,” which drops standard shouting about halfway through in a serious, sincere look at modern war. “Last Call” rather pleasurably combines screaming and soulful singing. The end of the album, including “Subway Funeral,” “Love Has Led Us Astray” and “You Were the Cancer” mark an evolution for Thursday, softer than most of their songs without losing their hardcore edge.

If only all of Thursday’s new work felt so organic. “Beyond the Visible Spectrum” showcases Thursday’s skills beyond making very loud noises and would be appropriate on mainstream radio, but is ultimately rather flat and boring. “Time’s Arrow” suggests new age fare, and in “Circuits of Fever” listeners may sense that the band has spent too much time sitting around listening to new wave. Worryingly, this latter track is one of their more successful experimental pieces.

On first listen, Common Existence is exactly as advertised, a standard look at the alt-punk genre. In-depth examination reveals a wealth of different sounds, and Thursday fans will enjoy hearing what their band has been up to. The album is far from bad, but listeners might wish Thursday hadn’t included so many songs that should have forever remained b-sides for the curious faithful.