Teen
The Way and Color
Carpark Records
by David Chiu
Those who listened to this emerging New York City band’s impressive 2012 debut In Limbo might be in for a surprise with their latest sophomore effort. Whereas In Limbo was kind of straight ahead conventional indie pop, Teen’s The Way and Color is predominantly electronic music mixed with some soul influences – that’s especially true of the new album’s catchy first single “Not So Long.” The new album is a combination of slightly avant garde (“Voices,” “Breathe Low and Deep,” “Reconsider), and hypnotic and dreamy tracks (“More Than I Ask For,” “Toi Toi Toi”); even the opening track “Rose 4 U”makes a statement by starting out experimental before evolving into this heavenly choral break and then concluding on an aggressive note. It’s easy to fall back into old habits from a first album but not so with this new record. Sonically and stylistically The Way and Color quite a leap forward for this terrific group and a pretty bold one at that.
NewBeats 