The members of Suburban Eyes may trace their roots back to various indie bands of the late 90’s and early 00’s, rest assured this isn’t your father’s emo. The trio of Eric Richter (Christie Front Drive, Antarctica), Jeremy Gomez (Mineral, The Gloria Record), and John Anderson (Boys Life) have come together to create a project that is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. While longtime listeners may recognize some familiarity with the aforementioned bands, make no mistake, this is something entirely new. 

Their self-titled debut album, out August 30th on Spartan Records is exactly what one would hope to expect from these emo veterans: catchy riffs, thought provoking lyrics over nine well crafted, yet musically diverse songs. Whether it’s the transcendent Never Ending, or the R.E.M-esque Uncomplicated Lives, Suburban Eyes offers listeners a little bit of everything. 

One of the more thought provoking songs on the record, Voices wonders if there’s light at the end of the tunnel: “If we ever get out of here/Just let your dim lights go/If we ever get out again/”There’s a midnight show.” Though each track is its own unique showcase, there is a sonic thread woven throughout that helps the continuity, keeping it from being a collection of nine songs thrown together.

One of the biggest takeaways from the album is how good it sounds. Engineering and production was handled mostly in-house by Gomez, while the mixing was done by Grammy Award-winning Peter Katis. Both managed to work harmoniously, creating a record that sounds dynamic and at times ethereal. It’s clean yet never feels safe nor boring. It’s over before you know it, so it’s definitely an album worthy of repeated listens.

Suburban Eyes came together somewhat by chance, the stars aligning at the right time to bring all three of these music veterans together. Whatever the reason, they’ve created a great record that should warm the hearts of fans of the genre, as cooler weather starts to arrive.

Rating 8.4/10

Release Date: August 30, 2024

Tracklisting:

1: SoCal (Psycho)

2: Headlight Torches

3: 4AM

4: Never Ending

5: Floyd

6: Uncomplicated Lives

7: Voices

8: Cocktail Ride

9: Perfect Hands

Reviewed by Jeremy Schmidt