Essentially, I’m in a totally different place now to where I was when I first came across Balance and Composure. Back in 2009, their EP ‘Only Boundaries’ came out, I was sixteen and at the time, it was probably one of my most played records. It held the depth of Brand New’s influential ‘Devil and God’ record with the vocal catchiness that made you able to sing along to every word. They were the new band on the scene and subsequently made everyone want more. After said EP came a split with Tigers Jaw and a year later their 2011 album, ‘Separation’. ‘Separation’ was a clean, tight and forthcoming album for a band that had only formed four years ago. With great confidence, it seemed that they had put themselves on a landmark that was already filled with many similar bands. Yet, Balance and Composure seemed to hold a profundity that others didn’t. It’s now 2013, and my taste in music has swayed in many a direction, meaning that I rarely, non-ironically, listen to bands that stem from an ‘emo’-esque genre. However, The Things We Think We’re Missing has a track on called “Ella”, so how could it turn down? (For those who don’t know, Ella is my name).
This record is as good as 2011’s Separation. Their sound hasn’t strayed, but the vocal hooks have arguably improved. Vocalist Jonathon Simmons’s nasal harmonies are ever present, while thumping drums and ominous melodic guitars provide a noisy background to bring the album back down to their typical alt-rock sound. The album opener, ‘Parachutes’ tempts you in for a miniscule twenty seconds, and then you’re hit with a bang and realise what you’re in for- a 13 track album where all you want to do is air drum like you did as a grungy teenager. The album runs and runs, each song channels into another and the only difference between the tracks are (at times) Simmons’ mid-tempo singing over a minimal guitar riff which adds a weighty texture to the total record. Apart from this, thanks to Simmons’ melodic voice, the album is catchy, ‘Tiny Raindrop’, is undoubtedly one that stays in your mind.
It’s probably hard for bands to keep their intensity while trying to create an album that is accommodating to all sorts of people, and speaking for myself, someone who can be unapologetically narrow-minded when it comes to music, this record is engaging. It’s riff-ridden and everything you want from a band of this genre. ‘Reflection’ is four minutes of invigorating yet gorgeous music; The album improves on itself with each impending track. For a genre that can be occasionally generic, here is an album, which holds variety while keeping itself genuine.
Balance and Composure have put out an album that brings all people, like myself, back down to earth. They’ve won and made us realise that they are still accessible. This is an album to be listened to authentically, and if you’ve not dropped your ‘ironic only’ wall by the final thirteenth track, then this album is wasted on you. For Balance and Composure, ‘The Things We Think We’re Missing’ is an expression of their poignant void, but for me, it was this.
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