When listening to Matchbook Romance's sophomore effort, Voices, you might get an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. You have, to an extent, heard this album before. In its most basic form, Voices is a jumble of songs that echo the styles of bands currently dominating the alternative rock charts.
This is not to say that Matchbook Romance has no talent. In fact, their guitar handling and vocals have improved tremendously from their first album, Stories and Alibis. Lead vocalist Andrew Jordan has shaken off the nasal whine trademark of most emo and pop-punk bands and croons with a deeper, darker edge, making full use of a surprisingly large vocal range.
But while Matchbook Romance has finally shown glimpses of a hidden storehouse of talent, they waste it by making near-copies of the styles of their peers. Songs like "Surrender" and "Goody, Like Two Shoes," sound like they belong on the latest Muse album with their dark, staccato edge, while "Monster," though catchy in its own right, has strong echoes of Fall Out Boy's "Dance, Dance."
If you enjoy any of the bands mentioned above then it's certain that you will enjoy at least bits and pieces of Voices. If not, then you can rest assured this album holds nothing new.
Voices is actually the perfect name for the album, as instead of having one singular and coherent style, it blends several different types of sounds. What is ultimately obscured in the process is Matchbook Romance's true sound, passion and indeed, voice.
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