The Dangerous Summer – Reach For The Sun

When The Dangerous Summer released their debut EP, If You Could Only Keep Me Alive, I enjoyed it. There was a definite Starting Line vibe to it, creating a slight sense of nostalgia and it was, in general, a solid EP. Unfortunately, since I reviewed the EP, I don’t think I pulled the CD out of it’s case to listen to again. It was alright and pleasant enough but ultimately forgettable and lacked the need for multiple replays. As I listen to Reach For The Sun, I can’t help but think the same thing. It’s alright, mildly enjoyable and can be played a few times in a row but once I’m done with it, I’ll forget all about it until they release another CD.

It’s a shame really because The Dangerous Summer has some positive aspects to them. The Starting Line and Kenny Vasoli influence is extremely prominent, creating a sense of nostalgia for when Drive-Thru Records was actually a good label. The vocals are strong and passionate and the lyrics, while not overly complex or intricate, are laced with a sense of sincerity and honesty which helps drive the emotion home. Throughout Reach For The Sun, snippets of lyrics stand out amidst others pulling a drifting ear back into the mix – particularly on the title track and Settle Down.

The music is nicely polished but not overly so. A pop-punk structure with radio-friendly rock overtures to it; it all, once again, points to what The Starting Line was trying to do six years ago. The only time they truly deviate from the structure is on The Permanent Rain where they merge in a heavy Angels & Airwaves influence into their song.

As the record plays through, there’s very little to complain about. Nothing is extremely memorable or built on a “wow” factor basis but Reach For The Sun is competent and pleasant enough to sit through repeated listens. It floats nicely in the background with the occasional burst through to the forefront, normally propelled by a sudden passionate vocal outburst and, as a whole, is enjoyable.

But at the same time, as I listen to it, it continually fails to leave any sort of lasting impression. Its gets to the point that I know that once I press stop and put the CD back in its case, I’ll pretty much forget that its there and let it sit and collect dust. Just like they did on the EP, The Dangerous Summer have delivered a competent release but a release without any longevity.