blackleatherbookshelf | My Amazon Reviews: The Maine "Pioneers" (Reply)

Climb Every Mountain
4 Out Of 5 Stars

"Pioneer" finds The Maine pulling away from the major label treadmill after a single album, striking out as an indie once again and proving that they've lost nothing in the transition. If anything, they've gained a more stripped down sound, a jagged power-poprock that serves their roots proud. Like many bands in the post Nirvana age, they've mastered the soft/loud/soft dynamics of songcraft, but do so minus the dissonance and with zinger songs.

I've got a tough time picking a fave from this CD, as the whole thing packs a lot of meaty work. I love the guitars in "My Heroine," the breezy "While Listening to Rock and Roll" and the poignant "I'm Sorry." I like this a little less than Maroon 5 but a little more than The Fray. Like those bands, The Maine like anthemish rock, tight storytelling and a good hook. While they are hardly pioneers in the genre, "Pioneers" will likely seem pretty tasty for its no-frills and basic sense of what makes a good rock-tune tick.