You know, it’s always kind of a bummer when a band releases a very good debut project, or a few really good projects, but their follow-up is a stinker. It doesn’t have to be awful, it just isn’t as good as the last album or EP you heard. I’ve been there many times, and it’s a bummer each time. You listen to something you utterly love (it’s even better when it takes you by surprise, too, because you didn’t expect it), but when the follow-up doesn’t measure up, what are you supposed to do? I mean, artists change, and most records by them are different. I don’t always enjoy artists that make the same albums over and over, but a handful can make it work (they tweak their formula ever so slightly, ultimately keeping things fresh and interesting). I’m not expecting an artist to stay the same forever, but it doesn’t always have to do with a sound changing. It can just be that the album doesn’t click for you, even if it sounds exactly alike. Sometimes the album can just feel “off,” and you don’t really know why. That’s how I feel about the subject of today’s review, that album being The Halfways’ debut LP, In The Interim. I came across this psychedelic-pop group about a year ago, and I loved their self-titled EP. That was a great EP, especially with all of the other psychedelic records I was very into during that timeframe. It was great, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting a debut record from them, or even another EP, for awhile. It’s taken me some time to check out this album, but I finally did, at least after listening to the new Temples album, which I’ll be reviewing soon as well. I thought it would be nice to have another psychedelic record on my rotation, but I can’t say I enjoy this one as much. It’s not even that this album is bad, because it’s actually quite good, but it doesn’t click with me all that much. I think I know why, though, especially after giving it multiple listens. I’ve been hoping the album would sink in after awhile, but it hasn’t.
That’s not to say this album isn’t any good, because I enjoy it, but it’s not an album that I’m clamoring to listen to over and over again. I’m fine with the handful of times that I’ve spent with it, but there is a big reason why this album isn’t clicking with me. It’s because it doesn’t flow that well at all. Their debut EP, as well as most psychedelic albums, flow a lot better. That’s why I like the genre a lot, but this LP doesn’t flow at all. Songs feel incomplete, unfinished, and it’s all just very unfocused, messy, and jarring to listen to. It’s one of those albums that I listen to, but I don’t quite remember anything about it, because nothing’s necessarily processing in my mind. It’s all just one giant ball of noise. That’s not to say it doesn’t good, because it sounds nice, but I’m just connecting with it at all. I don’t mean on a personal level, either, since psychedelic music isn’t like that, but it’s just not connecting with me as a psychedelic fan. The album is good, and being around 33 minutes, it’s a quick listen, but I don’t remember anything that I’ve listened to when it’s over. I don’t feel like going back to it that much, but I enjoy it, so it’s a weird album. I can’t say that I’m crazy about this at all, but I’m happy I listened to it, because it’s a nice record, either way. There’s nothing bad about the album itself, it’s just how the album is sequenced that doesn’t do it for me. If you’re a psychedelic fan, I’d listen to this, because you might get something out of it, at least something more than I did, anyway. I would also listen to this if you have been listening to something like the new Temples album, but you don’t like the synth-pop element that they’ve introduced on it. I enjoy that, even though it took some time to grow on me, you might like this, because there are “guitars and stuff” on this LP. It’s got an organic sound, and it’s just straightforward psychedelic music. If that’s something you enjoy, such as myself, you’ll enjoy this, too. I don’t love this LP, because it’s too unfocused for my tastes, but I’m still happy I listened to it.
