This past weekend, I sat down and listened to Touché Amoré’s latest album, Spiral In A Straight Line, which I consider to be quite underrated. It’s a solid representation of post-hardcore, especially in the modern world. A pivotal part of TA’s sound is the natural progression in their discography, which is nearly impossible to replicate. In all their interviews and Instagram posts, the band members state that this was a rough time in their lives, and I’d say it definitely shows in not only vocals but also lyricism.
I find that in present-day music, we lack a lot of writing that is not only straightforward in what it means, but also sounds just as painful. Songwriters like TA’s Jeremy Bolm waste absolutely zero time in the metaphorical; this can be seen most in their most popular album, Stage Four. In all bluntness, Jeremy Bolm overshares. In no world can you question that he’s putting his heart and soul into the studio recording. The chorus of “Hal Ashby” delivers the line: “send me off, send me away / I’ll take some time– recalibrate / I’ll try anything– anything / if it’ll course correct me.” There’s a very purposeful choice in making such a painful line a repeating one, and that should tell you everything you need to know about Touché Amoré.
While many critics argue this album feels too much like TA, as they generally follow their personalized sound and pattern, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Many songs on the album use their combination of indie style and hardcore energy–and they do it right. This piece of art is simply something that you have to sit down for the first time you hear it, the same as all their other albums. My personal favorite is “Mezzanine;” I think the slowdown at the end, “we’re tangled up / and it’s not easy, it’s not easy / we’re spun around / while unraveling, unravelling “, catches me off guard, and it makes for such a beautiful ending for an incredibly angsty song.
As a songwriter myself, I most definitely take inspiration from Jeremy’s vocals as well as cadence. Backing vocals on the song “Altitude” also make it sound so eerie yet alluring, like a siren to an explorer. The transition to “This Routine” takes much more liking to their indie inspirations in terms of chord progressions. Despite the name, it does switch up its sound just when you might get bored or overwhelmed by the noise. An important mention is also “Subversion.” Again, very different from the first six songs on the album. However, the build up works to its benefit to keep it up to par with the others on the record.
“Goodbye For Now.” What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It confuses you–It starts with a soft humming to make you think they’re ending this indie; they still somewhat are. Instead, drums kick in at about 185-195 BPM. The chord progressions are intoxicating; I know I had them stuck in my head for weeks after my first listen.
Overall, what I can say about this record is that it has a beautiful sound that Touché Amoré is unforgiving about. It is them; they are not performing for listens or “Best Experimental.” It is okay to stick to a sound, especially if you like it. Bolm makes it clear that he has perfected the art of expressing himself through this band; he won’t be apologizing for it. If this hasn’t convinced you already to listen to the album, I don’t know what will.
First-year Ramona Banos is a contributing writer for The College Reporter. Her email is vbanos@fandm.edu.