To the Stars Records
Tom Delonge - Vocals, Guitar
David Kennedy - Guitar
Matt Wachter - Bass, Synthesizers
Atom Willard - Percussion, Programming
Produced by Tom Delonge
This is the last section of the three-part project by Angels and Airwaves titled "Love". First, we had the 2010 album "Love", the feature film "Love" and this album "Love, Part Two". This is definitely one of my favorite albums now that I've been able to get my hands on it, but it's probably their weakest album overall. 2006's "We Don't Need to Whisper" was their first album, and it was like nothing I had ever heard up to that point. 2007's "I-Empire" improved on the formula Tom Delonge created with the first album, and it just got better from there. This is their fourth album. I was at the mass showing of the film, "Love Live", so I had very high expectations of the new album.
Saturday Love
This is the first song on the album. Opening the album, it sounds just like you would expect from the band- huge sweeping synthesizer melodies, guitar chords that carry the song up and over anything you've ever heard, strong percussion to match and hold support and Tom Delonge's hypnotizing lyrics and choruses. No weak spots whatsoever on the song.
Surrender
This is another song that has the same structure as their previous work. It's easily comparable to "Young London" off of "Love", despite not having the same anthem feel. I'm pretty sure I've heard most of the chorus in another song of theirs, though. Weak lyrics in this song.
Anxiety
This song was revealed, with its music video, at "Love Live", making me extremely excited for the release of the album. It compliments the film in every way imaginable, and it's easily the strongest song on the album, possibly even the strongest song they've ever produced.
My Heroine(It's Not Over)
This song is most comparable to "Soul Survivor(2012...)" off of "Love". The song is a slower song to balance the huge, expansive nature of "Anxiety". It's actually a great balance, considering Tom sings the song in the same rhythm and style as "Anxiety", so it's almost the two songs are halves of one epic song.
Moon as My Whitness
This is the first true slow song on the album, considering "My Heroine(It's Not Over)" was used as a cool down from the power of the first three songs. It's most comparable to "Breathe" off of "I-Empire". The song stays quieter and slower than most of their songs, almost as if it were an intermission. In fact, it does feature an intermission after about the first two minutes of the song.
Dry Your Eyes
The intermission-ish ending to "Moon as My Whitness" serves as the ramp to build up into this song. The first real notes you hear are fast, pounding drums and punk-style guitar chords to continue the build up. This is my favorite song off of the album because it brings the band back to Tom's roots in blink-182 and this band's first two albums. This song is most comparable to "Everything's Magic" off of "I-Empire".
The Revalator
This song starts off with a mixed bass line/synthesizer ramp, leading into this album's "anthem song". Overall, this is the same sound that they give most of their songs. Excellent addition, though.
One Last Thing
This is probably the most recognizable song from the film. It's a very upbeat, solid song to add to the arsenal of the album. It's most comparable to "Shove" from "Love" and "The Gift" from "We Don't Need to Whisper".
Inertia
This song's name couldn't be truer based on the sound of the song. It keeps the rhythm going in the album and starts off with a slow ramp building into incredibly heavy guitar chords. The song moves up and down in tempo toward the end, indicating the shift in tempo for the entire album.
Behold, a Pale Horse
This song sounds like it would've have been a huge hit in the 80's, starting off with interesting synthesizer notes and strong percussion back-up. This is the second "anthem song" on the album along with "The Revalator".
We Are All That We Are
Despite the almost Ke$ha like name, this is actually a very slow, almost ballad-like song. It starts out on piano and slowly, over the course of the song, moves into this "Top Gun" like guitar-solo-anthem. It's an excellent way to end the album.
Grade
8/10
Again, this is probably their weakest album overall, but it's still one of my favorite albums of all time.
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