Increased Damage – Spark
Increased Damage – no, we’re not talking about min/maxing your latest MMORPG build, we’re highlighting the songwriting vehicle for Cleveland-based artist Robert Carrick. His latest offering is called Spark, a ten song album full of blistering pop-punk layered with tinges of emo, alternative, and pop. Sugary, spicy, and energetic, Spark is reminiscent of the great music that came out of the late ’90s and early ’00s. Since most of us are now viewing that era through rose-colored glasses, Spark comes at a perfect time, bringing to mind bands like The Starting Line, Blink 182, and Saves the Day without completely aping their signature sounds. Produced over a nine-month period, the album is an introduction of sorts for Carrick – he’s “finally found [his] sound,” and now, “it’s time to find [his] tribe.” Here’s a bit about Spark from Carrick himself:
“I write music that is familiar but also evokes emotion. Lyrics that tell a story but are open to interpretation have always been my favorite. It’s a combination of that punk rock feeling that gets your blood pumping and the emotional creativity of alternative rock. It promotes feelings everyone can relate to and doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
Opening song “It Won’t Be Long” kicks things off with a bang – a bombastic drum intro pounds into your speakers before a chunky guitar slams down, ringing out in a tasty, distorted chord. Fun lead guitars, first sparky and upbeat, turn into telltale octave chords that smack of that early ’00s glory. At less than two minutes in length, “Long” comes and goes before you know it – but sometimes, especially in this genre, brevity is punk AF, and I think it works for Carrick here. He keeps up a similar energy on song two, “Louder than the Radio,” plush with squealy pinch harmonics and more riffy goodness.
An overarching theme of the songs on Spark is how short and sweet they all are. Carrick’s ideas often conclude around the two minute mark, and while its good to be left wanting more, it’s also fun to blow through these songs all at once. At just under 18 minutes, most people can crush this entire album on their commute to work… And if you were around for the punk from the 90s/00s like I was, that’s probably the only time you have to listen to music anyway.
There’s lots of punky goodness to dive into on Spark – Song three, “Fight Another Day” hits a bit like Saves the Day’s “Shoulder to the Wheel” (or any song on Through Being Cool) with its rolling tom drumbeat and simple chord progression. The choppy lead/rhythm work on “Number One” slides up and down the fretboard in a hypnotic sway. The onslaught of guitars ringing out on “Lifetime Ago” bring that sweet, sludgy, Mesa Rectifier (TM) tone that you might recognize from your favorite Thrice record. The descending chord progression and longing melodies on “Do It All Again” could fit comfortably on an early Alkaline Trio or My Chemical Romance album. Carrick even keeps up the energies all the way through album closer, the aptly-named “Goodbyes,” which, even without vocals, gets an honorable mention from us. The sharp guitar work and hopeful feeling here reminds me of Say It Like You Mean It-era The Starting Line – musicians in 2024 just don’t evoke those feelings very often anymore.
Spark is out August 16th, 2024. Check out all the different ways to enjoy the new album here.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna