Safetysuit - Life Left to Go

Safetysuit's "Life Left to Go" is easily the best debut album to emerge in 2008. This is what happens when four guys who have been playing forever together make the right record with the right producer. The first thing to mention with Safetysuit is how well the songs are written. Douglas Brown absolutely gets what it takes to make a great song- good melody and good lyrics. And everything on Safetysuit's "Life Left to Go"- tracks 1 to 12 are great songs. Brown's writing provides the structure for all of the songs but his vocal work is equally as impressive. Whether he's absolutely driving songs home like "Down", "Annie" or "Someone Like You" or just letting the melody do its job on songs like "Gone Away" and "Anywhere But Here" Brown is an impressive vocalist. Even with production and it just being an album, you can tell that these dudes have been playing seriously for awhile now. Safetysuit works together perfectly on all the tracks on “Life Left to Go.” Jeremy Henshaw and Tate Cunningham lay down an impressive rhythm section, Douglas Brown pushes songs vocally from start to finish and Dave Garofolo puts every song on the record over the top. Garofolo does outstanding work throughout "Life Left to Go." His guitar work is original and unorthodox. This guy is an innovator. From just staying within the song to blasting a solo, Garofolo is what makes Safetysuit unique. "Life Left to Go" is an awesome listen from start to finish. The single's at the front of the record; "Someone Like You" kicks things off impressively but after that there's never a drop off. "Something I Said" enthralls a listener with a ton of passion in the chorus. "Apology" is energetic and bouncy as soon as it starts. "Annie" is an amazing song that has the potential to do some great things at radio. And the album finishes with two of my favorite closing tracks so far this year; "Gone Away" is a five minute lament that's perfect for a commute home from work or a late night listen and it sets up the title track- a song about suicide and one person talking another person out if it- “Life Left to Go” perfectly. "Life Left to Go" is one of the best closing tracks I've heard in a long time- it's meaningful because of the lyrics. And it's unique because Doug Brown and producer Greg Archilla added a Frampton-type effect to the vocals throughout to really set a mood. A special note needs to be made for Greg Archilla on this record because it should definitely earn him some more work. The guidance and added effects and sound ideas he gave the band have added layers to what this album has to offer and it already had a ton to offer in the first place. Safetysuit is set up to be the best new band of 2008- as with most bands their success is highly dependent on the success of a single- but if one hits- five will hit harder and the ball will keep rolling. This is an exceptional debut from an awesome band, a band that you definitely need to check out.