Air Traffic Control

I first raved about Air Traffic back in February based on their pre-album EP and fingered them for possible future stardom here in the states. Now that the full length Fractured Life dropped on July 9th, it's time to reiterate. I don't know if this is good anymore, but most of this record sounds like an iPod commercial. If anything, the influences are too prominent on their sleeve. Air Traffic are right in the wheelhouse of dreamy indie pop when they channel the inner Keane (and tidbits of Muse) (Tracks 3-6), but their identity gets murky when they sound like the Dresden Dolls ("Just Abuse Me"), The Fratellis ("Charlotte"), Arctic Monkeys ("I Like That"), Billy Joel-meets-Incubus ("No One Even Told Me Her Name"), and Spoon ("Get In Line"), then yank a melody straight from the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" in ("I Can't Understand"). Surprisingly, it's still a well-flowing, mostly cohesive offering despite these things. If anything, I value skill diversity and they never sound exactly like anyone else. They've got the chops and songs to make a splash somewhere, on a commercial, a tour. Or maybe the splash starts here.

Listen:
No More Running Away
Shooting Star
[from Fractured Life|buy]