Man Overboard - Heavy Love

9th September 2015

Man Overboard have been around for a few years now, and Heavy Love is the New Jersey, emo-pop quintet's latest addition to the genre, taking us back to how the emo scene use to be, before all the black guy-liner and eye-covering hair (think Death Cab for Cutie, or really any band 'The O.C's Seth Cohen was in to). Heavy Love is no exception to this, and it comes as somewhat of a refreshing taste away from modern emo bands who mostly seem to be trying to emulate kings of the scene Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance. The album comes across as both calm, even peaceful, but at the same time full of life, and, for some reason, gives me the urge to go on a long, lonesome drive through Canada's forests or along the Californian seafront. Don't get me wrong though, there is still plenty of songs on this record to wave that long hair around in a mosh pit to, with third track 'Reality Check' giving a subtle hint towards what Man Overboard might be like if they had gone for a full pop-punk sound instead, 'Cliffhanger' has a small nod towards screamo with its backing vocals, and 'Invisible' provides the shout-your-heart-out sing-along lyrics every emo band worth their salt needs on an album. 

I really can not put my finger on Heavy Love. I like it, and I would encourage anyone to go buy it. But at the same time, if I were to see it played live, it would have to be a last day of the festival, opening up the main stage kind of deal; sitting down in a field nursing a hangover with a beer type of event.

3/5
Tracks to check out:

- "Borderline"

- "Reality Check"

- "The Note"

- "Invisible"

Sam Muckley

@s_muckley