With roots in guitar-led power pop, Peter Buzzelle originally started out as a solo act crafting songs with catchy, melodic hooks and original riffs. After his first two albums, To Telescope and Museum Of, he began to move on to recruit other members to perform songs as a more fully fleshed out guitar rock band. Drawing comparisons to The Shins and The Posies, on “Devil Love,” Bazelle and his band deliver consistent 90s-influenced crunchy guitar rock exploring different themes of love and desire.
The melancholy lyrics of “Devil Love” about unrequited love, lost love, and hopeful love are delivered with melodic choruses and driving riffs that carry the songs across the record. The last couple of songs were where things switched up a bit, with “Wings of a Dove” and “Best Friends” being more acoustic cuts. Sonically, these two tracks are the most pleasant of the 11 tracks, with simple, guitar and string instrumentation that glides along pleasantly. On these final two tracks, the semi-cringe-worthy lyrics occasionally are the biggest turn-off from the record, but it is not too overwhelming.
Overall, Peter Buzzelle and the Academy deliver dependable guitar-pop that is saturated in post grunge influence. While the record does feature more complex instrumentals than Buzzelle’s solo efforts, the simplicity of his original work is what makes it great.
Recommended If You Like: The Shins, The Posies, Diamond Heights
Recommended Tracks: 10 (Wings of a Dove), 11 (Best Friends)
Do Not Play: N/A
Written by Scott Knettle on 02/08/2017
