“Family of the Year” provides refreshing sound

Susannah Schrader, Staff Writer

In a world filled with rap, hip-hop, and rock n’ roll, it’s sometimes nice to listen to something that brings us back to the roots of music. Family of the Year’s recently released self-titled third album brings a fresh, old school sound to add to the din of today’s music.

Clearly influenced by the 1970s sound of Fleetwood Mac, this alternative band creates songs that have a soft, folksy vibe. Most of their songs build in an extremely pleasing manner, going from basic guitars to an entire menagerie of instruments. Each song’s layered vocals add an area of interest for the ear. This combination of attributes gives Family of the Year a modern, yet classic feel.

There are a few standout tracks on the album. Give a Little, an upbeat, positive tune, has an excellent build, going from the bare minimum of instruments to a soft alternative rock tune. Facepaint is heavy on the rock sound, containing long guitar riffs between the chorus and the verses. We Need Love is a slower track, focusing in places more on the band members’ vocals than on the instrumentation. May I Miss You is much faster paced, giving an almost Mumford and Sons vibe. Finally, Make You Mine is a love song, and with its talk about summertime and vocal layering, it has a somewhat beach-like sound.

Overall, Family of the Year is an incredibly refreshing album that I would recommend to anyone who needs a break from the music of today. This album takes me back to a simpler time in music, a time that didn’t rely on auto tune and synthesizers. The only issue with this album is that the songs are all extremely similar sounding, sometimes making it hard to distinguish one from the other. For this reason, I give this album four out of five stars.