Turning the page after hiatus
After five years, TRAAMS’ third album, personal best shows the band returning to their passion for music. With the pandemic drawing the band after their unofficial split, their passion reignited for creating not just music, but music together. TRAAMS uses personal best as a way to explore the sounds they were drawn to from the start of 2020. More subdued vocals, driving beats, and experimental sounds drew the band into previously unexplored sounds.
The opening track “Sirens” is more ambient rather than the energetic songs to follow. With soft instrumentals, the album does not explode into their new ventures. Instead, there is a sense of tranquility that provides the foundation for the rest of personal best. This provides an interesting opportunity to draw one inside. With the almost jam-like session intimacy, the band seems to want a way to expose sides of themselves that were previously unexplored by the band.
While no stranger to the sprawling anthem, the track “Breathe” (featuring Softlizard) is a nine-minute long epic where the band fully commits to softer vocals and more casual, breezy instrumentals. Verging on the edge of surf rock, the bassline has more of a plucky optimism that contrasts with the album’s earlier tracks. While not as cohesive as their earlier tracks, the more exploratory nature of the album is fun and playful. Rather than giant themes, the band is more focused on finding themselves again, which still works wonders in their vulnerability to showcase as many genres.
“The Light At Night” returns to the group’s ambient rock inspirations. With the softer, subdued harmonies, the track has an elegant simplicity to it that other tracks such as “Dry” do not. While the latter has more exciting choruses and heavier percussion, there is something still exciting in the former. Its connection to the audience is magnetic in a way that clearly shows the passion for their work. As they explore their sound, TRAAMS showcases their rekindled fascination with the medium.
To conclude the album, “Comedown” is easily one of the album’s most energetic tracks. The inverse of many albums coming out of the indie rock genre, TRAAMS album ends at its highest notes, with a speedy, catchy hook that makes the song stick even beyond its runtime. In a way, the album’s title references the band’s thoughts on their output. With their passion at a new height throughout the pandemic, there is something powerful about creating a well-produced, shining album. Despite its shorter runtime, personal best reflects an exploration of sound and genre that aims to excite.
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