Taking heavy inspiration from alternative icons like Weezer and Dinosaur Jr, Pennsylvania natives Timelost appeal to the laid back, fuzzed out nostalgia of the ‘90s while making their own stamp on alt rock. Bringing in influences from post-hardcore, punk and shoegaze, Timelost attempt to apply a fresh coat of paint onto the sounds of their childhoods.
From the first fuzzy notes of album opener ‘Lockjaw’ Timelost’s DNA is clearly on display, mixing the chilled-out riffs of their alternative rock heroes with modern sensibilities and vocals. Frontman Shane Handal’s voice wavers between a sluggish, apathetic moan and a more modern, post-hardcore inspired growl; it’s a subtle change but often an effective one when used in the right place and one of the small details that Timelost use to distance themselves from their inspirations.
The driving force behind Timelost is their buzzy, lo-fi yet full guitar tone and they shine brightest when they let their guitars take centre stage on Drained‘s more inspired tracks. Songs like ‘Eternal Vibe’ and ‘Cranium Dent’ allow guitarists Handal and Hugh Morretta to stretch their legs creatively, breaking free of the copy and pasted sound of some of weaker songs on the album and branching out into post-hardcore, modern punk and shoegaze. ‘Cranium Dent’ dedicates almost half of its runtime to an extended jam where Timelost find their unique voice and explore the song’s creative potential. It’s one of the album’s highlights and it’s a real shame we don’t get to hear more of this side of the band on other tracks.
On the flipside, a number of tracks on Drained do rely a little too much on the same musical ideas with some songs blending into one another without creating their own distinct identities. A handful of songs end up feeling a bit too much like filler, utilising similar riffs without a solid enough lead line to carry them, with tracks like ‘Combustion Dance’, ‘Wet J’ and ‘Diet Strangers’ getting lost in a sea of fuzz. Compare this to some of Timelost’s strongest work on the album, like ‘Lifer Death’ with its strong vocal and lead guitar melodies, or ‘Eternal Vibe’ with its choppy rhythmic changes and grungy riffing.
Drained culminates on a cathartic trio of songs which show off Timelost’s ability to deftly switch up their style at the flick of a switch. ‘Lifer Death’, which heavily borrows not only from Weezer but more up to date alt-rock bands like Cage The Elephant for a straightforward, to the point earworm, flows straight into ‘Another Casualty of Me’, a ripping post-hardcore inspired track with a chunky guitar riff that stands out as some of the most impressive instrumental work on the album. The album culminates on ‘Premablue’ which combines Timelost’s grungy delivery with uplifting, Touché Amoré style post-hardcore energy for a climactic crescendo to Drained.
On their second album Drained, Timelost still feel like they’re finding their feet a little. There’s some really solid material here but it occasionally gets lost amongst the fuzzed-out riffs and nostalgia worship. The moments on Drained when Timelost really focus on carving out their own unique voice stand out but they’re a little too few and far between.