As an avid fan of Circa Survive, a new album was enough to make me explode in happiness. Unfortunately for fans, the independently produced album is unsatisfactory. At least, that is how it seems.

One of the highlights of the album is “Sharp Practice,” a track with gritty guitar and loud vocals. It released shortly before the album came out and had fans riled with joy and high expectations.

The production quality should not be a factor when judging this album, but it is hard not to when none of the songs really “pop” like in their previous records, with the exception of “Sharp Practice.”

Some tracks, such as “Birth of the Economic Hit Man” and “Bird Sounds” stand out simply by their nature of having a slightly different style than the rest of the album. The latter, especially.

It’s sad to say that most of the album doesn’t really stand out as exceptional. The album features 11 tracks, and more than half of them are so lax in style that I feel lost and upset, wishing there had been more excitement and pop.

Despite the production, however, it is still the Circa Survive everyone knows. Anthony Green, vocals and guitar, is never a disappointment in the lyric department. If only the rest of the album had the power he carries by himself.