Schematic - Color(n.) Inside The Lines (Album Review)

When I gave the new Schematic album, Color(n.) Inside The Lines, a first listen the one thing that kept popping up in my head was: it sure is great to hear a full length from Dave Elkins again. Mae has become such a well loved band over the last few years. Their discography has been celebrated by fans and the vinyl repressings have been selling like hot cakes. It's great to get a new release from such a talented artist and singer.

Schematic may not be Mae, but it features a similar sound while incorporating new elements and sounds. If you were ever a Mae fan you should find it pretty easy to get into this project. One thing I really can't deny about the album is that the songs are extremely well written and well constructed. The instrumentation is awesome and the little electronic elements and strings sprinkled throughout the album add so much to the overall sound, vibe, and feel of the album. Elkins has never sounded better vocally. He has such a stand out voice and you can't deny his talent. The production is perfectly matched to the music and it is mixed really well.

It's hard to pick a favorite from the album because I like quite a few songs. If I had to pick a song I'd recommend checking out "I Am The Car" because it’s a great song. It's a really catchy song and I like the vocals and instrumentation a lot. "Senseless Charades" is really cool as well. The vocals on the song are awesomely performed and the guitar work is fantastic. To me the song harkens back to what I really liked about mid-late 90s alternative rock. "Where's The Soul" may be one of the better representations of the album. This song has a little bit of everything the album has to offer. It's soft, heavy, and experimental throughout the entire song. It's a really neat song and I'd say after you listen to it you should have a pretty good idea of the type of album Color(n.) Inside The Lines is.

Schematic's Color(n.) Inside The Lines is just a really great album. It has that really great pop feel. It sounds sun-shiny if that's possible (haha). It's got enough of the alternative rock vibe to give some of the songs a nice crunch though. I'd really recommend this to anyone who enjoys pop/alternative rock. If you are a fan of Mae this is the ultimate must have. It's the album you may have been waiting for years to hear. I wouldn't miss out on this one; it's an essential album to check out this year.