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ALBUM REVIEW: "Swell" by Tiny Moving Parts

   Swell is the fourth full-length album from Minnesota natives Tiny Moving Parts, and it is a strong continuation of their mid-west influenced emo rock sound. It is the band's most accessible album to date, which I think works in their favour greatly as it gives a lot of these tracks an instantly singable quality that has always been visible to fans but is now at the forefront of their sound. The mathy riffs that are heavily reliant on tapped technique are still here in spades, but Swell also sees the band refine the melodic part of their sound, producing some of the catchiest choruses and most uplifting moments in their discography so far. Now, if you are anything less than a devout Tiny Moving Parts fan, there may in fact be a very strong sense of unwelcome deja-vu that comes with this record (if you've heard their three previous albums). They aren't reinventing their sound by any stretch; they are taking the elements of their sound that have worked in the past and honing them, while ditching some of the things that haven't quite stuck the landing in the past. As a fan of the band I can appreciate seeing this progression as they sink into their sound properly, but it has also reached the stage that I will be anxiously waiting for whatever their next project is in the hope that they don't simply slip into the same old same old. For now, though, Tiny Moving Parts have arguably hit their peak with Swell, with singles "Applause" and "Caution" being among the very best TMP tracks with deep cuts like "Feel Alive" and "Wishbone". If you haven't heard much of this band, Swell is the album to dip into (after which you should make your way through the other albums in reverse chronological order), and if you have then you should really be clued-in to what to expect from this album. Fingers crossed they do something special with LP5, though.

   Favourite Tracks: Applause, Feel Alive, Caution, It's Too Cold Tonight and Wishbone

    Least Favourite Track: Malfunction

   Rating: B+

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