Album Review: Against The Current – ‘In Our Bones’

Believe it or not, I like when I’m proven wrong about certain things – one of those being bands I unwittingly write off as just another pop/rock band as I honestly have no knowledge (or typical interest) of the Warped Tour scene – save for PVRIS, Paramore and even Hey Monday back in the day.

When Poughkeepsie, NY trio, Against The Current, were brought to my attention, I had no idea who they were– but that made diving into their debut album, In Our Bones, that much more exciting as I ventured into the once-familiar territory of my teen years.

In Our Bones is the perfect debut for the trio – comprised of Chrissy Costanza, Dan Gow and Will Ferri – as it encompasses everything a solid introduction should possess. If you are unfamiliar with the band as I was, it’s your perfect starting point. I later dived into their previous material and noticed how their sound has progressed immensely since Infinity and even to 2015’s Gravity, as the band took what was great about that EP and built on that, expanding their sound into a bigger pop/rock feel.

Maybe it’s Costanza’s massive online presence that has contributed to my newfound love for the band, as she radiates positivity and individuality while being a great role model for young girls – especially in the music industry. I’m already a sucker for female-fronted bands but Costanza takes all of that to the next level and it’s such a pleasure to watch.

Opening track, “Running With The Wild Things,” plays on the notion of a corrupt education system as Costanza sings, “Standardization of the masses / Give us a number, fail or pass us / Education, manipulation / Decide our fate but never ask us.” There’s a lot I can say on this topic but I’ll refrain and let the music speak for itself. One thing’s for sure: with an opening track like that, it’s pretty evident that ATC means business.

“Forget Me Now” keeps the momentum going as the band previously stated they wrote it with their high school reunion in mind as they point a finger at everyone who tried to bring them down – something I’ve often dreamed of myself as my own high school reunion looms in the coming months. A softer side of the band is brought into play with title track, “In Our Bones” and “Chasing Ghosts” as Costanza sweetly sings, “I won’t keep chasing ghosts / I need somebody I can hold,” yet another notion I can relate to all too well while the anthemic “Young & Relentless” and “Brighter” are an ode to anyone who has ever had a dream worth fighting for.

“Runaway” is the song that I initially didn’t care for months ago but after listening to it a couple more times, it’s actually starting to grow on me. It’s catchy, fun summery pop/rock that should go over well with listeners along with the game-changer that is “Wasteland” – a track I can easily picture Ellie Goulding lending her angelic vocals to as worlds collide with the indie/synth sensibilities. It only gets better with “Blood For Gasoline” as dark soundscapes take over your headspace while “Demons” closes us out with an 80’s-esque prom ballad vibe.

Against The Current possess a fiery innocence I wish I still had yet something tells me they’ve got one up on me the more I wince at the time I wrote them off as just another band that easily blended in with the rest of their genre. Needless to say, “I know it seemed so obvious that I should put an end to this.”

In Our Bones is available now here.