Album Review: Long Lost - 'Save Yourself, Start Again'

Long Lost started as an acoustic side project between Transit vocalist Joe Boynton and guitarist Vinny Comeau in 2010 during touring down time. This has lead to a full-time band over the course of the last year and now a debut full-length titled 'Save Yourself, Start Again.'

The first and most obvious question is, why aren't these just new Transit songs? Granted they are a lot softer, but they really just sound like soft Transit songs. It's not a bad thing, Transit are a great band and the mellow version is just as good, it just seems unnecessary to brand it as something else.

That aside, mellow Transit really is the best way to describe this record, with a stronger focus on Boynton's vocals and melodies. Opening track 'Not Worth It' shows that this will be the focus of the album, the vocals take hold straight away, while the percussion and guitar lines provide gentle support, every now and then breaking away with some little melodies of their own.

The hopeless romantic lyrical theme of 'Old News' is offset by some bright indie rock riffs and upbeat rhythms before things simmer down for the atmospheric and gentle 'Drive With Me'. 'Wild Hearts' holds up the folk element of the record, sounding like a punk rock Mumford & Sons completing the "heavier" mid-section of the record along with the semi-electric title track.

The record ends with the comforting sentiments of 'You Can Always Come Home' and the bright and airy 'Clean Slate', which leans to the Dashboard/Death Cab side of the softer spectrum ending with a great little catchy sing-a-long.

While they are trying to be an indie-folk band it is far too difficult to get away from that Transit sound, or at least the idea of it. If you like the idea of a chilled out Transit, Long Lost is exactly what you need.

1. Not Worth It

2. Look Back And Wave

3. Old News

4. Drive With Me

5. Save Yourself, Start Again

6. Wild Hearts

7. Want

8. This Love Will Grow

9. You Can Always Come Home

10. Clean Slate