The Junction are back with Another Link in the Chain, the highly-anticipated follow-up to their 2007 self-titled release. Released in the summer of 2009, the third full-length album from the Toronto-based trio signifies a fresh start for a group who's highly-infectious, upbeat sound has kept audiences tapping their toes for years.
No strangers to the Canadian music scene, singer-guitarist Brent Jackson, bassist Matt Jameson and drummer Mike Taylor have played hundreds of shows across Canada - including EdgeFest, and The Virgin Festival - and have toured with the likes of The Reason, The Planet Smashers and Bedouin Soundclash, to name a few. With Another Link in the Chain, The Junction has pushed themselves in new directions while still embracing their musical roots. "We've drawn heavily on our past experiences to create this album without losing our original sound and identity," says Jameson.
The independently-released Another Link in the Chain takes the jazz-influenced, indie-pop elements that make The Junction's songs so great and boils them down into something much more cohesive. The new album reinvents their staple hard-hitting choruses and anthem-like presence while keeping that key element that has won over fans and members of the media alike - creating big songs with a lot of heart!
Concerning their sound, Pulse Niagara's Bill Adams notes, "The Junction make each track resemble a miniature monolithic opus, building momentum to majestic grandeur in three minutes or less" Chart Magazine's Sheehzaad Jiwani says, "The Junction have built a following in the southern Ontario punk/screamo scene by playing music that's neither punk nor screamo, but rather a refreshingly upbeat blend of indie pop and rock."
This uniquely upbeat approach caught the attention of acclaimed producers Gus Van Go and Werner F. (The Stills, The Trews, Priestess) who invited the boys to record with them in NYC. The Result? A powerful and introspective album full of infectious, rock-oriented songs representing their most mature collection to date.
The album's first single "My Love Was There" pairs a indie-pop vocals and guitar performances with a quick, almost aggressive drum beat. "Out of Here" defines itself with deep-low vocals over a pronounced bass line during the verse, only to explode with a Junction signature falsetto-laden chorus. Conversely "Level Me" builds on a quick guitar riff and poignant vocals, trumped only by the magnificent use of horns in the chorus. The band also demonstrates its maturity and versatility with "Miles in Denial," an emotionally-telling composition that juxtaposes haunting vocals with a slow-yet-powerful instrumental performance.
"We've really pushed ourselves to write crisper, more cohesive songs, and I think that shows with the variety on this album," says Jackson.
With its mature sound and mixed-genre approach, Another Link in the Chain encapsulates that catchy rock/pop/jazz fusion that makes The Junction so captivating.
- Nick Poirier
