The word “familiar” can be used to describe music in negative and positive ways. New Terminus, a band from Atlanta, GA, sounds exceedingly familiar to me. And fortunately, I mean that in an unusually positive way.  Development,the band’s new EP, has been wandering around in my head like a memory discovering its true identity as a new experience.  New Terminus use all the same tones, chords, rhythms, and hooks that make (un)popular rock music from the ‘60s-‘90s one of the most intriguing and consistent forces in my life, but they do it masterfully, without taking too much from too few influences.

While there are too many reference points on Development to name, I feel these songs can be separated into two teams, as there are two distinct types of songs among the four.  Team one is “Solution #4” and “Where we Meet.” These songs sound like Built to Spill playing early Sunny Day Real Estate, but with more straightforward rhythms.  This side of the band sees them transitioning seamlessly between pretty, chiming guitar arpeggios and fuzzy leads. The drummer and bassist keep the excellence a standard by playing thoughtful and confident parts that never seem overwrought.  Team two is “Every Day” and “Sunshine Delay.” These songs fall more on the pop side of the spectrum, and are equally impressive.  Here, New Terminus combines historical pop-rock reverence with vigorous indie rock sensibilities the way Material Issue and Velvet Crush did in the early ‘90s.  “Every Day” is probably my favorite song of the bunch, and could have been a hit in a better age.

The variety of ideas, and quality of execution, makes me think this is a band whose members spend just as much time talking about and listening to records as they do rehearsing.  And it sounds like they do more than their fair share of both.  The familiar elements on Development are born of what is clearly a love of the experiences, reflections, and inspirations that make creativity—musical or otherwise—lucrative.  It sounds familiar because, like the records this band draws from, this EP is worth listening to.  This is not the kind of band that is going to take over the indie world, but I think there are more than enough fans of guitar-driven pop to ensure this band finds the audience they deserve. At least I hope so, because I want to hear much more from New Terminus.

Sock Monkey Sound