Album Reviews

- by Nate Hennon

A band's third album typically is when they either revert to an earlier sound or decide to progress beyond the previous two albums. For Caves, their latest album, "Always Why,"  is a mixture of both approaches.

Instead of keeping their well-documented ethereal pop sound from "Leaving," Caves have a more straight-forward indie-punk delivery on "Always Why." While this reviewer finds the latter sound more enjoyable, there does seem to be something missing.

The lack of cohesiveness on "Always Why" could come from their change in songwriting. Previously, Caves were all (presumably) writing nearby, "Always Why" was produced remotely. Even though this freedom does create some different song dynamics than previous Caves album, they may need one more album cycle to full figure it out.

That said, "16" and "America" are standouts on this album. This song should be added to your summer (or winter, depending upon your remoteness) playlist and enjoyed throughout the rest of the season.

Track listing:

1. Asleep
2. Need It Most
3. Way
4. Wait
5. Wild Dad
6. 16
7. Feather
8. Border
9. America
10. Wasting Time
11. Dangerous
12. Understand
13. Filler