The first word that comes to mind with this one is earnest.
Dave Savage launches into Affinity & Beyond with an energy necessary to just get on with it. Equal parts stand-up bass driven folk and riff driven pop-punk move this record along as Savage’s words explore his own world at his own speed. Mixing self-reflection with necessary calls to action, this record strikes me as restless in the best way possible. Not content to stick around with the same kids on the same block getting on with the same bullshit, Savage moves to occupy new space with anything he can. Full band or a strummed guitar both work as movement behind Savage’s words allowing the search for meaning to be the drive behind each song.
Affinity & Beyond stands as a manifesto or a howled rant drawing Savage’s line in the sand against the status quo.