I’ll start this write-up with a disclaimer: I am NOT a massive Silversun Pickups fan. “Lazy Eye” is an awesome song, and their album probably deserves more listens from me than I gave it, but I’m not obsessed with their style and sound.

That being said, “Panic Switch” gives Silversun Pickups fans exactly what they want- buzzy vocals from lead singer Brian Aubert (who still makes you forget he’s a guy at times), pulsing guitars, and that “small epic” feel that “Lazy Eye” has. The track is off of their upcoming album, Swoon.

The track is pretty flat for about four minutes, feeling like a ton of build-up. Then the bridge kicks in (”Waiting, fading, floating away”), the guitars pick up, and it really gets interesting. From 3:50 on, “Panic Switch” is a great song, with wailing guitars, more powerful singing from Aubert, and a hard-rocking ending. But the long wait for the good stuff makes it  just okay. Again, for a Silversun fan, this is awesome stuff. For anyone else, it’s a  good listen. What do you guys think? Continue reading →