Close the Distance (2012)

Back when Go Radio released their debut album in 2011, it felt like Jason Lancaster was still transitioning from his time in Mayday Parade with an album that was a mix of driving pop-punk and plaintive alt-rock. However, the album had bigger, more emotional moments mixed in that felt like the promise of something different, and on the band's sophomore effort, Close the Distance, the band makes good on that promise. Overall, it feels like Go Radio have settled into their sound, giving the album a more relaxed sound that ... Read More

Back when Go Radio released their debut album in 2011, it felt like Jason Lancaster was still transitioning from his time in Mayday Parade with an album that was a mix of driving pop-punk and plaintive alt-rock. However, the album had bigger, more emotional moments mixed in that felt like the promise of something different, and on the band's sophomore effort, Close the Distance, the band makes good on that promise. Overall, it feels like Go Radio have settled into their sound, giving the album a more relaxed sound that finds them opting to make their songs bigger rather than faster. This gives Close the Distance a mellow, more plaintive vibe that their debut, attempting to wash over listeners rather than simply bowl them over. While this means the album lacks the teeth of its predecessor, it allows the band to focus more on reflection, and provides the songs with a greater sense of depth. This might be a bit jarring at first for fans of the band's earlier, more uptempo work, especially given the relatively short time between releases. Anyone who sticks with it will realize that, at their core, Go Radio aren't just the same band that they were on Lucky Street, but that Close the Distance literally closes the distance between the band they were and the band they were trying to be. And even though they don't quite have the fire that they used to, this more fully realized sound shouldn't have much trouble keeping their fans happy. ~ Gregory Heaney, Rovi Read Less