The band is wholly adept from the start at channeling its stunning array of influences into a massive sound. Each track from the San Francisco Trio’s debut is drenched in it. Whether it’s macho-pop, cut-throat punk balladry, fuzzy grooves, or the unironic shoe-gaze, emo-metal that fuses it all together, this 2001 release knocks down the door of rock n’ roll.
There’s a singular moment that captures the wide-ranging emotion, impact, and depth of this record. It comes right as the hypnosis of “Take My Time,” yields to the power-pop and punch of “Rifles,” a hook so firmly set that it feels nothing short of escape. The liberation from the trance is tangible and glorious, and a reminder of what it’s like to be lost inside the music and how delirious it feels to be found. It’s a feeling that inhabits the entire record.