The second studio album from LongRoad, Faith in Greater Things? delivers a nostalgic rock immersion. Observational lyricism stirs within a range of soaring rock anthems and jangling introspection, resulting in a thorough success from the act. The band’s members met at the Knitting Factory in NYC and released their debut album, This Too Shall Pass, in 2006. Following a hiatus, they return with the impactful Faith in Greater Things?. Multi-platinum, award-winning producer Barrett Jones (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters) recorded, mixed, and mastered the album, which succeeds in its confident rock arsenal.
The soaring vocals and twangy guitars on “New Song” open the album with hooky appeal. “And I need you to keep me from going insane,” the vocals let out. “We made it through somehow, you never cast me blame.” The themes of perseverance and unity prove resonating, bolstered by a harmonious allure. A brief, spacious guitar solo approaching the third minute builds into a satiating final minute.
“Breathe” follows with similarly compelling styling, strutting a quicker-paced guitar jangle alongside a contemplative vocal pace. An ardent chorus, with lyrical yearning to find room to breathe, escalates grippingly with cohesive vigor. The album’s opening one-two punch showcases a band with a clear knack for delectably soaring rock-forward hookiness.
A harmonious track that muses on the beauty of platonic friendships and collaborations, “Fade Away” intertwines frolicking guitar lines with lyrics that enamor in their pleas for support. “Will you clear the path before me?” they beckon, during the toughest of times. The “will you be my melody?” fluttering consumes into the shimmering chorus; the effort impresses in equally impressive tonal reaches from the verses’ intimate lightness into the cathartic, more rock-charged allure of the chorus.
“Crash” returns listeners to the more energetic rock pace apparent earlier. A confident, debonair vocal lead ventures into a bluesy guitar solo. The “crash, crash,” refrain lends a climactic mystique, with rhythmic escalation into the snarling guitar intensity thereafter. “Free” arrives into a rousing sound as well, enthralling with a Tom Petty-esque vocal soaring at mid-point, following a spirited folk-friendly introduction. The sequence of “Crash” and “Free” emphasizes the band’s timeless-sounding rock aesthetic, captivating with heavy doses of structural momentum and vocal passion.
The hypnotic “Why?” is another standout, mesmerizing with its mixture of steady vocals, gentle strums, and sporadic bursts of psych-friendly guitar licks. Following, the anthemic finale “Helping Hand” appears as a lyrical celebration of “a beautiful life,” sending off Faith in Greater Things? with a spirited, melodic charm. The album is a stirring example of quality songwriting and no-frills rock appeal from LongRoad.
