New Sincerity Works, the powerful, enigmatic alternative rock outfit from Cincinnati, Ohio have unveiled Wonder Lust. Through ten tracks, New Sincerity Works take a pleasant, refreshing and at times, unexpected trek down the rabbit hole of late 80’s lushness and alternative, power-pop guitar driven bliss. Released on September 19th, Wonder Lust rocks with a rambunctious enthusiasm and obvious love of the craft.
“Just Like Vapor”, the second cut from the album absolutely slays. The zany, unexpected keyboard lines jump the forefront of the mix. The moog-like sounds give off just the faintest reminiscence of The Rentals. The song kicks off with a killer, frantic guitar riff with slightly echoed vocals before launching into straight up the middle alt-rock splendor. The double snare hits on the drums throughout set the mood, showing this isn’t your average song before it kick into wild guitar riffing and shredding. Think garage bands like The Strokes with an infusion of Queens of the Stone Age and you might have an inkling of the lay of the land. The song really hits its stride though with its use of dynamics. Instruments, such as the aforementioned keyboard lines pop in and out. You’re left wanting to hear more of them; but it’s this execution that really sends this track into the stratosphere. As a rule, a good song should always leave you wanting more. New Sincerity Works work this rule to near perfection.
Strong vocals, playful harmonies and well-timed background vocals dominate most tracks throughout Wonder Lust. Multi-instrumentalist and song-writer Mike Tittel’s voice is picture perfect for this brand of alternative rock. He delivers lines and prose with a laid-back approach that really helps his lyrics come across. On “Without Us”, another one of the album’s standout tracks, he strikes a delicate balance between vulnerable and deliberate while asking, “I wonder what we would do without us?” It’s those dynamics again! He gives a little. He takes a little. There is no playing it safe. His vocal choice helps to keep the listener on the edge of their seat.
At times, New Sincerity Works comes off sounding like a futuristic Beatles. Their arrangements are vast and incorporate a lot into each song. But it’s never too much. The lush vocals over the slightly more modern use of the guitar-driven rock mixed with dominate keyboards is a real delight in an era of every band sounding exactly the same. The airy production lends the perfect landscape for these songs. The guitars are crisp. The drums pound and those keyboards; they’re a truly welcome surprise. Like bands such as The Talking Heads and The Cars, New Sincerity Works is bursting with the potential to completely rewrite the book of what alternative should be; or what its limitations are. Wonder Lust doesn’t have a bad track throughout. If you’re starved for a straight out of the box original rock band, you must check out New Sincerity Works.
