Album Reviews
Five years since their last release, Long Island’s Somerset Thrower return with Take Only What You Need, out now on Smartpunk Records.
Across its 11 tracks, the band sounds more dynamic than ever, balancing catharsis with more anthemic moments. They’re not about obvious hooks, though. Even when the guitars soar, they know how to pull a song in a different direction just as it threatens to get too poppy. It’s a clever move, and when you throw in a driving rhythm section, solid riffage, and gritty vocals, you’ve got a package that feels both raw and complete. Think Seaweed, Garden Variety, or Jimmy Eat World in a foul mood.
Lyrically, the songs wrestle with coming to terms with life’s turns, the passage of time, and the search for meaning. In other words, the kinds of questions adulthood throws at all of us. It’s honest, relatable, and tailor-made for raising a fist in the air.
Take Only What You Need to Survive tracklist:
- Free Time
- Motor City
- Never Going To Therapy
- Brooklyn Zoo
- Whole in the World
- Sidearm
- The Losing Streak
- Bad Luck Mirror
- Modern Speed
- Shinebox
Lacking the talent to actually play in a band, Tom decided he would write about bands instead. Turns out his writing skills are mediocre at best as well.
