COURTESY OF VICTORY RECORDS

Credit: Carl Schierhorn

With An Army Of Shapes Between Wars, Action Action set out to prove that the dance-rock movement doesn’t end with The Killers.

If you enjoyed Fabric, you’ll like An Army Of Shapes Between Wars just as much, or even more.

From the first note to the last, An Army Of Shapes Between Wars is undeniably an Action Action album.

“Smoke and Mirrors” is a gem with its thought-provoking lyrics and danceable beats. The whole album is laden with great lyrics, including, “A throw back to all those ’80s slasher flicks/you’re a cheap killer, and I’m getting sick of it,” from the opening track.

But a line in the shout-it-out-loud “A Tornado; An Owl” sums up the entire album perfectly: “Half of what I say is bliss/the other half is meaningless.”

Most of Army is everything someone would expect from the band, and more. The music is fun, and the lyrics are deep.

Action Action An Army of Shapes Between Wars Released on Victory Records Stater rating (out of five): ***½

But some of the songs, such as “What Temperature Does Air Freeze At?” and “The Other 90% Of The Iceberg,” are trite and uninteresting. The lyrics are still great, but listening to them is tiring. The aforementioned tracks are too spacy and clash with the rest of the album.

Army would have benefited from being shorter. By the time the listener reaches the last few songs, he or she is ready for something new.

That’s not to say the last few songs aren’t worth listening to – “Analogue Logic” is one of the catchiest songs on the album, with some of the best lyrics, including, “I am your church, your science, your imaginary savior.”

Action Action is an important band that needs to be listened to. The ideas presented throughout Army are interesting, and the words alone make it worth checking out. The strong beats and unique melodies are a bonus.

Contact ALL editor Seth Roy at [email protected].