Album Review: Transit - 'Promise Nothing'

Transit do things differently. From the way they pluck their strings, to the flow of their butter-melting choruses to the architecture of a single song, these Massachusetts swingers continually push boundaries to redefine a genre saturated by repetition and monotony. From afar, the five-piece take the form of a 16-wheeler on autopilot, dishing out their third solid record in the span of one year with no signs of obeying highway patrol. But on closer inspection, Transit really is more fittingly a tight-knit ping pong team; holding a game plan of forever hitting that ‘sweet spot’ in which they’re continually winning. ‘Promise Nothing’ – a two-track, ear-teasing 7” – bares the proof that their recent Rise Records signing has done nothing but usher them towards an ever-positive musical progression, promising nothing but perfection for their full-length soon to come.

Smashing that ‘sweet spot’ doesn’t come easy. However, after five releases boasting a constant process of refinement and development, Transit have struck a perfect balance between complex and catchy. A-Side, ‘Take What You Can’ attests to this – offering fast and technical riffs (which in parts, strangely reminisce the guitar-work of American Football and This Town Needs Guns) in bold simplicity, easily appreciated by both the casual and cultured listener.

B-Side, ‘I’ve Never Told That To Anyone’ lights candles around the bedroom floor; a true contrast to the up-beat character of its A-side counterpart. What these two tracks offer is nothing entirely different to the style of predecessors ‘Something Left Behind' (2011) and ‘Keep This To Yourself' (2010), just more and more. Big chords, atmospheric melodies and an immaculate sense of synchronicity between the instrumentation demonstrate how careful and explicit the song-writing process is for these writers. Whilst the vocals of Joe Boynton still hold their unique and distinct sound, the true icing to this cake would have been a greater feature of the vocals from the other members which have always provided a great contrast in previous material.

Hanging six releases under their belt, Transit have polished a sound which seems to mature with each and every step forward. The true beauty this band achieves lies in the outcome they’ve created; not a wrinkly, saggy old piece but rather an ever-fresh and invigorating style that they truly characterise as their none other than their own. Two-track, ‘Promise Nothing’ is the ultimate carrot on a stick, teasing fans and inspiring a world of anticipation and eagerness for the full-length that is to come later this year.

1.  Take What You Can

2.  I've Never Told That To Anyone