This Modern Station is part of a rare breed. Much too mellow for the sorrows and angst found in country and Americana, some Southern bands back their accents with low-maintenance rock and become something you’d sooner listen to lying around on the porch than dance to.
This Modern Station’s All We Leave Behind is added to the book of soft twang and melodic, infectious rock. The twang is in the instrument while not so much in the vocals on some tracks, while others are instrumentally classic alt-rock with the country creeping into the lyrics. Either way, This Modern Station strikes a good balance between the two.
Though lyrics sometimes border on surface level, catchy hooks and choruses reminiscent of masters like The Volebeats or The Dexateens steal focus anyway, as shown in “Next Best Thing” and “Just Another Heartache.” If the album fades into background noise, it will spring back for those who will always be won over by the sweet sound of ’90s rock, which is present in most guitar parts, like “Evangelina.”
In “Sunday Morning,” the song opens with a few seconds of an almost island-like guitar tune before starting to pick out a Wallflowers sort of melody. Then the simple structure of “Ruby” brings to mind Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, telling a story about a bad girl.
At times, the chords and vocals play out so smoothly it’s like hearing a Southern version of Nada Surf. All hovering at mid-tempo, the songs project a calmness that makes the album a light and easy listen.