AM Syndicate's latest album, Liberation, has a sound typical of a band from a small record
label; it has an interesting vibe that's appealing, but monotonous. Hailing
from Austin, Texas, the indie-pop troupe names Blonde Redhead and Neutral Milk
Hotel as two of its inspirations, a fact which becomes painfully obvious
through a listen of its new collection.

At times, AM Syndicate's attempt at a social reform message
comes across as forced. In the album’s first cut, “Hang Your Fears at the
Door and Join your Future,” vocalist Omar Chavez sings stern lyrics to a
singsong melody, a contrast that makes it difficult to appreciate the meaning
of the words such as “We the people must fight them."

Lyrics aside, Liberation
is more than adequate musically. To start, AM Syndicate makes use of a plethora
of sounds and instruments. “All the People Under the Sun” begins with
a simple organ melody quickly joined by drums, electronic tones and vocals. It
is an upbeat song meant for dancing.

The vocal arrangements in Liberation are unadorned melodies with no distinct harmonies. In
the album's second cut, "The Plunderer and the Fool (Tool Box)," Chavez's voice
acts more like another instrument in the ensemble than the driving force of the
song and recognizing that element of AM Syndicate's style makes Liberation easier to listen to.

The climax of the album is the lively percussion and
acoustic guitar riffs of "To the Peasant's of the Emperor," in which the band
combines the sounds of atypical instruments to create a distinctive, catchy
melody.

The first lyrics of "Doubt in Progress…" are puzzling, as
Chavez awkwardly sings, "I'm so tired of hearing all your propaganda." The song
begins repetitively with a simple guitar accompanying the strange lyrics. But
two minutes later the song emerges with an engaging bridge that aptly ends with
a return of the subdued guitar and vocals.

The album falls apart in the last two tracks, which are
repetitious both lyrically and musically, dragging on much longer than
necessary. The vocals in both tracks are haunting, and the beats of each are
virtually indistinguishable. Additionally, "No Flakes" and "Cauliflower Ear"
are the two longest songs of the album, and with their nearly identical vocals
and percussion, they make for a 12-minute headache.

Liberation is full
of what seems to be AM Syndicate’s good intentions, but unfortunately these do
not fully materialize. Though the band makes use of a clever range of
instrumental pieces, it fails to compensate for its uninteresting cuts.

2 stars out of 5