To fill the gap of new music in the first couple weeks of the new year, I have to decided to review another older album, one of my favorites. Ganging Up On The Sun by Guster is pop/rock album released in 2006. This album has catchy melodies, inviting vocals, and beautiful harmonies that make this album really stand out in tone and production. Each track feels like it was crafted by a band who really cares and loves what they do. The broad range of  sounds and styles of this album is really what makes this album so interesting and the fact that it pulls it off carefully and seamlessly makes this album always stand out in my mind.

For example, the first song, “Lightning Rod,” is fairly subdued and mellow in tone. It’s written in a minor key which gives off an ominous feeling while the lyrics give off a sense of hope. Then the second song, “Satellite,” is a bit faster and drops the sinister mood and replaces it with a feeling of joy and determination. However, it keeps the same underlying feel the “Lightning Rod” had with it mellow tone and sound. This gives the album a really fantastic flow in my opinion where all the songs can be different stylistically but in reality they all share a similar flow and tone throughout. Another example of this is one of my favorite songs from the album called “Manifest Destiny.” “Manifest Destiny” is one of the faster, rock influenced songs on the album with its catchy lyrics, fast tempo, and rock beat from the drums. This is the first time in the album in which it completely switches styles; however, it still feels like part of the album and it still has the nice flow from song to song that I spoke to earlier.

Apart from the album as a whole, there are some songs that just stand out on their own. The first of which being “Ruby Falls.” This song is the longest on the album, being over 7 minutes, and is interesting the whole way through. “Ruby Falls” gives off a slower, methodical pace that is reminiscent of the 70’s with the shrieking guitar at times and the drum beats, in addition to the long trumpet solo at the end that could be its own song because it is so good. The second song that has always stuck out to me is “The New Underground” which I think is the most blatant “rock” song on the album. The strong guitar riffs and steady beat makes this song fun and interesting along with the simple, yet catchy lyrics that you just can’t resist singing along to. My only issue with this song is it is just a little bit too short, it’s the shortest song on the album, being only 2 minutes and 50 seconds. The second to last song, named “The Beginning of the End,” is another fantastic song. This is again one of the more rock influenced songs on this album. Between the bright vocals and distorted guitar the song has a unique sound that has always been interesting to me.

In conclusion, Ganging Up On The Sun is a fantastic composition that simultaneously combines a couple music genres together but manages to keep an organic flow in between song and keeps a common aesthetic sound throughout. It is because of this accessibility that I recommend this album to almost all anyone who likes music. It appeals to a wide audience that many can relate to but is specific enough that allows each song to have depth.