Streetlight Manifesto Shines on Somewhere in the Between

Ever since my sophomore year of college, the word 'manifesto' has called to mind Russian revolutionary propaganda and falling asleep in spite of copious amounts of caffeine. Thankfully, Streetlight Manifesto has shattered those impressions and salvaged the m-word from the awful world of ennui.

The band's latest effort, Somewhere In The Between, is nothing short of a masterpiece parading itself as a party. With plenty of catchy hooks, shout-along choruses and a truly unique blend of instrumentation, this 44-minute romp leaves no room for disappointment.

The first track, "We Will Fall Together," features a lengthy introduction that showcases the band's versatility and musicianship, as the various brass instruments trade off time in the spotlight. An underlying distorted guitar is present throughout and some clean ska strumming appears in the chorus. The lyrics tell the tale of an uprising of the oppressed, and the upbeat music is a perfect counterpart to lines such as, "the beaten and the bruised, forsaken and abused, oh what a glorious day we'll have rising up and claiming all our dues."

The next song, "Down, Down, Down to Memphisito's Café" begins with some subdued singing and acoustic guitar, reminiscent of the introduction to Catch 22's "1234" (but it's not illegal if you're stealing from yourself). This doesn't last long, though, as the horns appear and kick the song into high gear. The verses are stripped down and feature some quick, muted strumming that contrast nicely with the choruses.

The fourth track, "One Foot On The Gas, One Foot In the Grave," seems to be a radical departure from the upbeat, optimistic vibe present throughout the rest of the album with its solemn introduction. The guitar is great here, showing that Streetlight can do more than just syncopated ska rhythm. Again, the subdued vibe doesn't last the entire duration of the track, as a trumpet sings out triumphantly around the one-minute mark and the rest of the band joins in.