Louisville synth pop band The Pass will release their new album “Canyons” (sonaBLAST! Records) on June 11. If you picked a soundtrack for the kind of summer you wish you could have, this would be the one you’d want — its instantly catchy pop hooks and irresistible beats stoke a desire for movement, whether it’s on to the open road or cutting loose on the dance floor.
The lyrics continually come back to a longing for escape. Sometimes it sounds like a romantic plunge (“Mexico”) and in others, a last-ditch effort to fix a broken relationship (“We Try”), but the primary feeling seems to be the fear of staying in one place, even if the alternative is downright dangerous. This is particularly true in the title song “Canyons” with vocalist Kyle Peters calling siren-like to the listener: “All I want to take is the next step…follow me, follow me.” That next step is a doozy – “off the topside of the canyon.” Well, at least the trip down would be accompanied by some infectious pop, reminiscent of your favorite 80s bands.
The single from the album is “Silent Treatment,” which opens with a sweep of synth “strings” and quickly bursts into a seductive dance tune. The song is peppered with interesting synth elements – horn-like fanfares and then, midway, a pretty awesome rock guitar solo. It’s as if there may be another band wrapped inside this technopop foursome. The energy ticks down a notch in the last few songs, which steer a little more into troubled relationship territory and slower tempos, but the first six tracks hit all the marks. It definitely merits repeat listens. You probably won’t be able to sit still.
June 11 is the official release date, but you can hear the new album in its entirety live at the Haymarket this Saturday, June 4. For their album release show, The Pass will be joined by Stereo Empire and Ed Monk. Tickets are $10 (ages 21 & over), available here.
Check out “Silent Treatment” from Canyons on Bandcamp: