Moodswings

With the under-the-radar release of last year's debut EP, Someday, Ships Have Sailed frontman Will Carpenter gave us a taste of what was to come, and on Moodswings, Carpenter and company have fully delivered on that promise. There is a lot to like here, whether you favor hooks that bring to mind the early work of The Killers (e.g., dance-inducing “Boomerang”), or rock tracks that are perfectly named to be one of your favorite seasonal anthems (“Summertime”). Carpenter, who is best known for his work as a guitarist and backup vocalist for the hip-hop/rock outfit 7Lions, also knows his way around a good lyric when he sings “If only I could find a way/to make you take back your goodbye” on “If Only.” The band isn't afraid of going in a variety of directions, either, from the bouncy, echoing “Out of Time” to the more brooding, apocalyptic “The Tide.” Moodswings ends up being an engaging exercise in counterbalances—euphoric one moment, thoughtful the next (particularly on highlight track “Insomnia”). What a treat.