Since the success of their first single Sour Candy, which went viral while the members were still in high school, New York City band Melt have tried to find their footing. At that time they had seven members. Now they have three, and those remaining, Veronica, Marlo, and Lucas, seem ready to move on from the past. One gets the feeling of release and rebirth in every post, caption, and especially in previous single Stay for the High, a cathartic rock-leaner that catalogued the band’s growing pains.
Now they’ve arrived with Find Somebody, and the promise of a new day is everywhere. Over a guitar tone reminiscent of Tears for Fears, Veronica urges us on, telling us to “roll the windows down / as the city passes by”. The drums build and you can feel spring arriving; restaurant windows are opening as you sprint after the love of your life who is about to leave the city forever. You’re not fast enough, but that’s OK. You must let them fade into the ether, push away from the thing that wasn’t meant for you.
Yet despite all this springtime promise, the song does not quite reach the stratospheric heights hinted at in its setup. When it comes in full, the drums are weaker than expected, and the mix seems to be trying to contain the dynamics of the band rather than letting them loose. I’m missing that distinct, dirty joy of creation transferred directly to my headphones. The sound stays in a comfortable, anesthetized zone. The release valve stays partially closed.
With this song I can’t shake the feeling that Melt have more to give. They are leaving something on the table, but still, Find Somebody is pushing towards the future. When moving into a new era, a band needs a calling card, a sound unique and their own, to separate them from the past. Free from high school hangups and the necessary moltings of growing up, Melt have all the tools they need to find it. The only question is: what comes next?