by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media [album released 2020]
Android Superstation, a four-piece indie rock band from Orange County, California, announced themselves as a band to watch with their impressive 2020 debut album, This Side of Nowhere.
Thought the band leans toward the epic, they paint with a remarkably broad palette. Influences shift from track to track, yet This Side of Nowhere remains surprisingly cohesive. Imagine pop-punk in the vein of Blink-182, the arena-sized rock of Muse, the soulful atmosphere of Pink Floyd, and occasional flashes of symphonic prog.
Much of that progressive flavor comes from keyboardist Heather Moore, whose acoustic piano work provides several of the album's standout moments, from the emotional closing passage of “After You” to the sweeping textures throughout “Collide.” Moore also takes the lead vocal on one track, and it's hard not to wish she had been featured more prominently. Hopefully the band's sophomore album gives her voice a larger role.
Lead singer Danny Day Church excels at power-pop vocals, and I especially appreciate how easy it is to make out every word he's singing. I'd love to hear even more of his softer side to balance the often one-volume dynamics of the genre. The album closer “The Other Side” is a standout example, as is the band's longest track, the eight-minute “Collide.”
Two of the album's songwriting and performance highlights are “Fractured” and “Alive,” both of which showcase Android Superstation's diverse strengths in concise, focused compositions.
“Through the Darkness,” the only song featuring lead vocals from keyboardist Heather Moore, delivers a particularly memorable chorus and features some excellent dissonant, haunted piano lines that evoke the atmosphere of a classic horror film. More songs in this vein would serve the band well, especially given how effectively they use soft-to-loud dynamics to create emotional impact.
More people need to discover Android Superstation. The band's website features some really cool comics that are well worth checking out, and their YouTube channel includes recent performances of strong new material, including the excellent track “Human,” suggesting that they continue to move forward with confidence and creativity.
For a young indie band, This Side of Nowhere is a remarkably impressive debut right out of the gate. Android Superstation clearly has the songwriting ability, musicianship, and ambition to go far. Prog Dog scores it 3½ paws out of 5.
Thank you for this amazing review Dean, you're the best 👍
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