The Working Title: About-face

This has been a long time coming. For the guys in The Working Title, they have been waiting for this release since the late nineties. Being discovered and then signed to a major label for the last several years, one would think TWT would have a few albums out by now. Instead, industry troubles and record label drama has kept the band in limbo, waiting for their chance to shine.

In 2003, the band finally got to make their mark on the musical landscape to some degree with the critically acclaimed EP, Everyone Here is Wrong. It was a disc that showed the potential of what was to come, but it unfortunately never received the backing to bring The Working Title to the forefront.

But now, the boys finally emerge with about-face, a collection of songs old and new that prove they've belonged the whole time. "Something She Said" and "The Mary Getaway" are two songs that long-time fans will remember, although they have been reworked somewhat. These two tracks are instantly memorable and force the listener to repeat these before moving on.

Frontman Joel Hamilton's vocals are perfectly suited for the conglomeration of rock sounds that are here. Slight hints of emo, hard rock, grunge, and Brit-rock are all here, yet the band is able to bring them together in a way that is distinct. The best example of this is "Nothing Less Radiant," a song that features rhythmic changes, stellar hooks, and a killer chorus. This song might be one of the best rock songs of 2006.

The talent here is undeniable and it's no surprise that despite the troubles, the band has still risen to the surface. Most bands would have disappeared in the midst of the rubble, but The Working Title has persisted and the release has been worth the wait.