A Skylit Drive

Adelphia

[3/5]



A Skylit Drive’s sophomore full-length, Adelphia provides a suitable middle ground between the slick, melodic neo-hardcore made popular on Underoath’s They’re Only Chasing Safety and its more brutal follow-up, Define The Great Line–with a little something extra, that is. Michael “Jag” Jagmin’s lead vocals? That’s a dealbreaker, ladies. Some listeners will find them androgynous to the point of cringing; others will view them as a fine nod to Coheed And Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez. Both camps will have to stomach the occasional lyrical misfire; Adelphia’s largely neon-free, but with a line like “Hey, baby, I want you, I want you” (“Eva The Carrier”), it ain’t Ne-Yo free. Your best bet is to revel in A Skylit Drive’s curiously poppy melodies, interlaced with sporadic vocal barks, sci-fi synths and heavy-yet-intricate guitar play–the last a familiar staple of producer Casey Bates’ recording projects. The bag’s mixed, but the tricks stick. (FEARLESS) Luke Santiff-Reemo

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