Abandon Kansas - As Astra Per Aspera

Abandon Kansas is a band name I've heard for a while and never heard any music from. So I was looking forward to giving their new full-length, Ad Astra Per Aspera, a spin.

Listening to the recorded yesterday I was pretty unimpressed. The record just didn't give me any reason to keep listening and honestly I didn't understand why people liked them so much.

But this morning the album revealed itself in a new to me. Nothing changed, I just heard it differently. It's not a fresh take on anything. It's just a clean pop/rock record.

Heaven Come My Way kicks the album off with a steady back beat and a clean driving guitar. The song doesn't appear to be catchy but I found myself singing the chorus late last night. It's a simple melody that finds its way into your brain. And that's the way most of the album is. Liar and Like It or Not continue the rock vibe on the album. Subtle catchy songs with nice hooks and a strong rhythm section driving the songs along.

But then the album takes a turn. The songs are still rock songs but these aren’t your driving rock songs. The Golden State, the albums first single, has a memorable guitar line the compliments Jeremy Spring's vocals has he sings "California's burning like a cigarette, flick the ash into the sea. California's burning, the whole state's gonna fall in, If you don't stop falling, for me."

The album is full of beautiful songs. Each song moving into the next, each one as beautiful as the one before. The song writing is strong and I didn't feel like I had been listening to the same song over and over. Each track has its own texture and movement.

Fans of the Fray, Mat Kearney, and Kings of Leon will love this album. It's a solid album.