Home Run for The Home Team
Album Review: The Crucible of Life by The Home Team
CONTIBUTING AUTHOR Maysi
Yet another home run for The Home Team with their latest 12-track album release, "The Crucible of Life.” The pop-punk foursome, comprised of vocalist Brian Butcher, drummer Daniel Matson, guitarist John Baran, and bassist Ryne Olson, is experiencing a rapid growth in their fanbase with this latest release. After dropping 6 singles in the form of music videos, including a double release titled “Roommates//Overtime,” fans could finally stream the entire album on July 12th.
The album starts strong with “Turn You Off” - a track full of frustration containing a line featuring the album’s name. “Brag,” the album’s second and arguably sexiest track, is exactly that - a ballad about thinking highly of oneself, evidenced by the chorus in which Butcher sings, “I know what it takes to be your next best thing.” Another notable aspect of this track is the ad-libbed lines featured in the 2nd verse and 3rd to last chorus of the song - “well not with that attitude” and “okay, maybe I do [mean to brag] but..”. Next up is “Love & Co” - an upbeat, catchy tune featuring the band Intervals, that makes you want to dance. Instrumentally this song is the best of both worlds, with a heavier groove during the verses and a lighter full-band sound during the chorus.
Tracks 4 and 5, titled “Roommates” and “Overtime”, were released together as “singles” in an extended music video format which was almost too much to handle. Lyrically, both songs seemingly indicate relationship issues, albeit different ones. “Roommates” carries a much harsher vibe with the singer venting his pent-up frustrations, struggling with the love/hate relationship he’s found himself in, which listeners can hear in the spoken outro of the song “….it feels like there isn’t a single part of you that wants to put in the work. I-I need you.” “Overtime” touches on the singer’s constant efforts in a relationship that just never seem to be enough- a feeling I’m sure many people can relate to. While nothing specific stands out instrumentally on this track, it remains my favorite song on the album.
“Honest,” the album’s 6th track, is fast-paced and somewhat of a conversation between the singer and the listener about the importance of realness and facing the past. If I’m being “honest,” this song took a while to get into, but it’s grown on me. “Somebody Else’s Face” featuring Broadside and “Walk This World With Me” are up next; these two songs could not be any more different from each other, with the former being a desperate plea to save something that isn’t worth saving, and the latter a love song. It was instant love (and a bit of confusion) when first listening to them back to back, given that the sound and content were so different.
“Walk This World With Me” is the outlier on this album due to its much softer sound and heartfelt lyrics. “All Squeezed Out,” a transition track with a swing beat just under a minute long, helps bridge the gap between the heartfelt track that precedes it and the high-energy punch of the following song. Track 10, “Hell,” is reminiscent of Brendon Urie (Panic! At The Disco) in terms of vocal style, with Butcher hitting a higher pitch right as the song starts. The song is high-energy and incredibly catchy while keeping with the theme of emotional/personal struggles. The album finishes strong with the remaining two tracks- “Love When You’re Used” and “Loud”. “Love When You’re Used” has an easy-to-follow beat that lets listeners focus on the singer's stylistic choices. “Loud”- the final track on the album- is a great song to “get loud” and get down to with its groovy beat and momentum that encourages every listener to “let it out.”
Overall, “The Crucible of Life” is a solid, well-rounded album in all respects; it wouldn’t be surprising if it became one of the top releases in its genre this year.
