AMG Review of Black & White

Tim Sendra
All Music Guide

On their first major-label release (after an EP and album for Fearless), the Maine take a step away from the emo-pop sound they began with. Instead of fast tempos, sunny songs about girls, and Auto-Tuned vocals, Black & White has a more mature and measured approach. The tempos are nearly all mid, the mood is often melancholy or nostalgic, and the overall feel is much more grown up. The presence of Hammond organ is a trademark signifier of a serious and adult band and it appears in a handful of songs here, layered in among the acoustic guitars. There’s no trace of punk left in their approach, in other words. In fact, if the vocals had more of a twang, the record could pass for a modern country release. It will certainly appeal to the same kind of fans who like Taylor Swift -- people who like solid, catchy songs, sung earnestly. There are definitely quite a few songs that would sound good on the radio, like the hooky "Fuel to the Fire" and the cute "Right Girl."