Small Sins
Mood Swings
4.5/5

Who It’s For: Any pop/indie fans that want to know the next big thing.
Sounds Like: Pop music that’s indie cool.

Regardless of my love of them, imagine if The Killers had taken a cooler road of indie pop instead of pretentious Springsteen idolizing and that is kind of what you get with Small Sins. Singer (and really the man behind this whole thing) Thomas D’Arcy has a voice that can make songs seem theatrical, but he takes this all in a whole different direction. His voice is amazing on every track and whether he’s whispering, hitting that falsetto or going for the big notes, he lulls you through and makes you smile.

In each track it seems you hear a different side of D’Arcy from sassy and show tune (“What Your Baby’s Been Doing”) to quirky (“Drunk Email”) to quiet and dark (“On A Mission”). All the while he keeps it accessible to any type of listener. That is kind of the key to Mood Swings. While it is still very underground cool to love it, the album has been made weird and interesting without being intimidating and even the most mainstream of listeners will get it. There are definitely tracks that could be played on the radio (“On The Line”) and the undeniable pop influence of the songs is worn proudly instead of overshadowed by trying to be different.

Most of the tracks have a beat that you will find yourself bouncing to or at least tapping your toes and bobbing your head. There are always interesting little things inserted into each song to makes sure they are not the regular stale radio music. Whether it’s the violins in “Airport” or emotion of “Bullet” you will never be bored. He has found an amazing balance for everything on Mood Swings that keeps the cool in pop and kept a lyrically dark disc happy.

Track Listing:

1. I Need A Friend
2. Morning Face
3. What Your Baby’s Been Doing
4. On The Line
5. Prove Me Wrong
6. Drunk Email
7. On The Run
8. It Keeps Me On My Toes
9. Airport
10. On A Mission
11. We Will Break Our Own Hearts
12. Holiday
13. Bullet

- Stephanie Joudrey