Metro Station "Metro Station" (Red Ink) Sounds like: The product of a freaky and possibly drug-induced Mika-Franz Ferdinand-Depeche Mode orgy.
Despite the fact that Metro Station guitarist Trace Cyrus is actually the son of mullet-master Billy Ray Cyrus, the band's self-titled full-length debut is far from country. Keyboardist Blake Healy supplies an extreme amount of synth-backing to the catchy guitar beats and sing-along lyrics that proliferate each of the band's tracks.
Many of the tracks run together and have significant similarities that make the album seem more like a composition with several movements rather than a full-length CD.
However, this doesn't make the album a flop by any means. It becomes progressively more enjoyable with each subsequent listen, and it's something great to slip in when you're looking for energy while getting ready for a Friday night out.
"Kelsey" is the typical pseudo-ballad. Named for a girl and full of angsty-affection, the song is as slow as the band gets, but still has enough speed to keep it from getting stale. While the lyrics can get a little spotty, particularly in the band's first song, "Seventeen Forever," overall they're nothing atrocious and definitely make the album worth a listen.
-RACHEL TARDIFF
