Soft Landing
Soft Landing
(Ba Da Bing!)

Soft Landing’s self-titled album is a bit symphonic. The Brooklyn band, which features members of Beirut, is clearly working to make beautiful, unique music. However, the sound doesn’t entirely come off that way. Sounding a bit like a fun pop rock album that would appear on your favorite sitcom, the album isn’t the strongest release of 2011 but is certainly respectable. “Baptism,” a standout track on the album, features light lyrics and fun, rolling melodies. “Mic Check” starts off with good ole folk influences and a banjo sound, but moves along quickly. Midway through, the song starts to sounds like a B-side from the Doors with lead singer Paul Collins rising above the melody. The moment is a highlight from the 26-minute album. “Papaya” is another track from the album you just have to listen to. Heavy drums, muted vocals and an epic ending to the track make it a favorite from this enjoyable but short album.

While all of the songs on the album are around the 3- to 4-minute mark, they all seem to be over before they’ve really had a chance to begin. Pick up the album and make your own judgment, but be sure to be on the lookout for future releases— this soft start for the band has a lot of room to grow.