Album Review: Atlas Genius - When It Was Now

For an Adelaide outfit who bypassed the traditional live slog and seemingly went straight to the talk show circuit of America, Atlas Genius are still quite an unknown quantity in Australia. Three brothers and an English pal on keys, their promo efforts rarely mention bassist bro #3 Steven Jeffrey, instead focusing on vocalist/guitarist Keith and drummer Michael – a photo of just the pair even features on the album sleeve. Confusing promo aside, they're clearly translating Stateside with their debut album When It Was Now. Breakthrough single Trojans is a simple acoustic ditty with a straight-up-and-down beat that kicks in with minor note melodies and lovely vocal layering from Keith, though production wise it feels very bare, as does the entire album.

Elsewhere Electric throws back to '80s electro that outfits like Art vs Science and Van She have grasped fully, stripping it down even further for Back Seat. Through The Glass feels like it wants to be a big stadium anthem when it grows up, the kind that One Republic audiences would wave lit phones to as solid piano chords eventually punctuate a serious chorus stating: “We're dressed up like humans like we know who we are/This map won't get you home if you don't know where you are”. The lack of bottom end accent, however, just has it floating in the ether with no real resolution. Understated indie pop flavours are present in On A Day but a vanilla chorus of synth adds little.

There are certainly moments where the acoustic/synth/sporadic guitar riff combo gel well with Keith's steady vocal, though on a whole When It Was Now just feels quite plain.