Album Review: American Amnesia — …Yet Here We Are
The band name and the album title might suggest to some that this is an album of sociopolitical commentary. Not so much: this Connecticut trio makes hard-charging rock. The songs often have more than one good idea in ‘em. To wit: the opening track, “Time,” sounds like two completely different songs grated together. One’s fairly conventional and quite good; the other is a frenetic spray of lyrics that has more in common with punk or, say, Violent Femmes. But together they work.
There’s even a subtly bluesy undercurrent to some of the tracks. Fans of sharp and heavy rock with plenty of variety should check this one out. There’s a sense of fun and reckless abandon in these songs, and the playing is whip-smart, exacting the maximum force out of the trio format. Cuts like “The One” show that the group has a good sense of melody, not unlike Dookie-era Green Day. The album reverts to a sort of arena-rock vibe for its relatively epic-length closer, “Stars of Orion.”
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.