Album Review: Vacationer - 'Relief'

Kenny Vasoli, well known as a member of The Starting Line and Person L, is using Vacationer to offer up something a little different to his usual "pop-punkery". 'Relief', the group's second album, is bright, chilled out, melody heavy, pop music for the masses, with things coming up far less teenage angst and more adult dinner party.

Vacationer take the indie rock route essentially. Triple J would love this band, the drums rumble along with bright poppy synths and the melodic vocals pushed right to the front; romanticising about laying in fields with that special someone. This is the case on first single 'The Wild Life' and album stand-out 'In The Grass', which are more so crafted for radio play than anything else, despite the fact that the entire record lends itself to a mainstream sound.

Vasoli's usual guitar preference is understated here. The instrumentation is kept to an almost minimal fashion, and keys and synths provide most of its core. This is by no means a bad thing, it works in amongst this genre and steers this group further away from Vasoli's other projects.

The vocals provide the main source of the melodies and are the catchiest thing about this band (and album). They are the main focus, with the music just a serving plate. A special mention, however, is given to the percussion, which could very easily be just a standard time keeper, but instead opts to have a little more personality.

For all of its well-crafted structures and good vibes however, this record is ultimately forgettable. It plays things far too safe and at the half way point all of the songs resolve into one dreamy, wispy beach-side backing track. It's enjoyable to have on in the background but there will be no classic favourites found here.

This is bubbly indie rock for all to enjoy but while this is quite a different sound for Kenny Vasoli, in the world of this genre it's just another release that probably won't see more than a few spins.

1. Stay

2. Paradise Waiting

3. Glimpse

4. Heavenly

5. Shining

6. In The Grass

7. Parallels

8. Vision

9. The Wild Life

10. Fresh

11. Go Anywhere

12. Onward & Upward