SPEAK is back at it again with another bit off their forthcoming album, Pedals, and despite the fact that the huge success of the first two, "Peaks", and "Be Reasonable, Diane", have set the bar staggeringly high for anything coming after it, this Austin-based band seems to have an endless supply of quality music up its sleeve. "Gates", their latest, is every bit the indie-rock powerhouse that its two predecessors were, and we have it on good authority that the album as a whole is not going to disappoint, either. Maybe it's the subtle use of synths, or their ability to turn pop music to something much more substantial, but this track just feels correct from the moment you hit play. SPEAK has been putting out material for a couple of years now, so it's no surprise that "Gates" is of such a high quality, but what is surprising is how well they've managed to refine their signature sound into something both instantly recognizable, and timeless. You could chalk up a large part of that to their vocalists distinct set of pipes, but don't for a second discount the maturity of their production work or the way they so deftly blend together sound elements into one cohesive package. These guys are the real deal (they even put out a video game for their last single, if that's not impressive enough), and while it still remains to be seen how their project as a whole will be received, you can't argue with the fact that they've definitely put their best musical foot forward thus far.
SPEAK