Aeroplane, 1929 – To Persevere / 2006 Top Shelf Records / 12 Tracks / http://www.aeroplane1929.com / http://www.topshelf-records.com / Reviewed 16 July 2006

What style of music does Aeroplane, 1929 play? The beginning strains of “Bones in the Attic” is very non-descript, but the vocalist kicks in with a blend of emo and folk-punk screaming to add some energy to the track that sticks with the song until the end. There is a nervous energy to the track that shows itself primarily in the stomping sound of the drums during the track, and before individuals can realize, the song fades to silence. There could have been another minute to the track without the band sounding like it was pushing too much with the song. Luckily, “Act of Contrition” is next for Aeroplane, 1929, a song that has a very early Goo Goo Dolls meets Husker Du type of style to it.

The wall of sound presented on the track is given a back seat to the vocals on the track, which mix nineties pop with something that is a blend of Senses Fail and Good Charlotte. At some point, the style of music that Aeroplane, 1929 play is (as previously mentioned) hard to categorize. This is a strength for Aeroplane, 1929 as individuals that are into any style can find something that they like in the band’s track to track modification of styles. There is not one style of production that dominates during the entirety of “To Perservere”, as some tracks (“Drunken Advice For A Mid-Life Crisis”) have a fuzzy quality while others (“Bones in the Attic”) are straight-forward and do not effect the output of the band. The ability of even the production to change during this album means that the producer is intimately familiar with the act ad can work with Aeroplane, 1929 to make the music the best it can possibly be.

The disc is over 40 minutes long, and this time feels so much shorter considering that Aeroplane, 1929 keeps things fresh as possible with their bouncing around styles and overall sounds during “To Persevere”. There are tracks that can make it onto rotation on pop radio (“Green With Envy”) just as there are track that will make individuals think and even dance (“What It Is I’m Made Of”). Aeroplane, 1929 will be a big force in independent music, just give them a few years. With hints of acts like Head Automatica, Yellowcard, and Against Me all floating in their pool of influence, Aeroplane, 1929 have a solid idea what will succeed and the technical quality to make what they create into successes in much of the same way.

Top Tracks: Green With Envy, What It Is I’m Made Of

Rating: 7.0/10

[JMcQ]