Album Review: Time Again - 'Darker Days'

Daniel Dart (Vocals) and Elijah Reyes (Guitar) really believe in what they’re doing, so

much so that the pair started heavily promoting Time Again and

booking shows before they had even finalized a line up. Adding a bassist

and drummer to the fold a few days before their first show didn’t

see to be an issue either, as the band received a fantastic response

from day one. 

Fast forward a few years and the

band that were once referred to as “Tim Again” (a play on the fact

that Daniel sounds almost identical to his idol Tim Armstrong)

have well and truly come into their own. Yes, the obvious references

to Rancid can still be made but Time Again’s sense of

melody combined with their obvious appreciation of fast paced, So-Cal

punk has allowed the band to create a highly enjoyable record. 

On first listen “Day Like This”

bears an uncanny resemblance to H2O’s “Talk Too Much”,

but the elaborate bass lines and chorus hooks have put a fresh perspective

on an old formula. “Soon It Will Be” continues in a similar vein

to the album opener, making the most of Time Again’s fondness for gang vocals and chorus harmonies. One thing is apparent

by this point and that is that this Californian four piece share more

than aesthetic similarities with Rancid… they have the same

knack for song writing which enables their hooks to be stuck in your

head for days at a time. 

“One Way Or Another” is another

great tune but is fairly similar to everything we’ve heard so far

on Darker Days, however “Lines Are Faded” was a surprising

tune that I wasn’t expecting. The song’s mid tempo approach combined

with the anthem like vocals is sure to be a live favourite and I guarantee

that you’ll be humming the main riffs within minutes of hearing them. 

The album’s title track is another

fast paced tune with a prominent bass run giving it a bit more of an

edge, however it’s the Tim Armstrong worshipping “Lucky” that really caught my attention… anytime someone’s 

vocals sound like they’ve just knocked off a bottle of Jack

you know you’re onto a winner. “Lookin Back” is a great example

of what Time Again is capable of when they take their foot off

the accelerator for a minute. The lyrical content combined with the

song’s stripped back instrumentation makes it a stand out on an album

which doesn’t have a bad track. 

Although Darker Days isn’t

the most original record you’re going to hear, the four members of Time Again know how to write quality punk rock songs, and in a genre

with such limited room for musical experimentation, isn’t that what

it’s all about?

1. Day Like This
2. Soon It Will Be
3. One Way Or Another
4. Lines Are Faded
5. Darker Days
6. Lucky
7. Montreal (Street Kids)
8. Lookin’ Back
9. Movin’ On