Search - These United States :: Everything Touches Everything

Third album in 18 months

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 10/04/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These United States stormed onto the inde-music scene with its debut album "A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden", released in early 2008. Only 6 months after that the band issued a second album ("Crimes") and now, a year later, already comes the third album.



"Everything Touches Everything" (11 tracks; 42 min.) starts out of the gates with guns blazing: the opener "I Want You To Keep Everything" is as catchy as the band has ever been (and might even have some appeal on mainstream commercial radio, if it was any good--which of course it isn't). Many of the songs on here are in the 2 to 3 min. range, and singer-songwriter brings them with urgency and passion. Check out the short but hard charging "Night & The Revolution". Even on more reflective songs like "The Secret Door" you can feeling the band charging full steam ahead. "I'm Going To Assemble a City" is another highlight. The last 2 tracks, "End" and the almost 8 min. closer "Good Night Wish" are superb tracks to close the album with.



This album plays strongly from start to finish, and continues the winning ways of These United States. I had the good fortune of catching These United States in concert last month at the Monolith music festival (at the Red Rocks near Denver), and they brought a set brimming with enthusiasm, playing mostly songs from this album. Fantastic. Finally, if you wonder where you can hear the these guys, check out WOXY (BAM! The Future of Rock and Roll), the internet-only station that brings the best indie-music in the country, bar none. Meanwhile, "Everything Touches Everything" is highly recommended!"