Ever since the release of Fallen Star Collection and the Trying to Figure Each Other Out EP, Brandtson's pop-infused emo tunes, and trademark vocal harmonies, have been winning them a place in the hearts of indie-rock/emo fans across the board. We've been waiting to see what happens next, and they don't fail to deliver with Dial In Sounds. Maybe it characteristically sounds like what we've come to expect from them. Maybe it's another project produced by Ed Rose. But it still displays the growth and experimentation that is necessary these days for an artist to hold their own. Songs like "Command Q, Command Z" and "Guest List" took a few listens to get past the rhythms and figure out what was going on. The contrast is in songs like "Cherokee Red" (a warm and fuzzy memory song with a hint of melancholy), "The Rookie Year" (another of their lessons in moving on), and "Anything and Everything" (they're just good at giving us characters that are just right). This is a must have for fans. And to those who haven't decided whether or not to give away their heart, this might be a good time.
Editors' ratings - Doug 4/5, Jason 2.5/5
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis January 2002Reviewed by Travis PersaudBrandtson strikes again with Dial In Sounds, the follow-up to their EP, Trying To Figure Each Other Out. This is Brandtson's third full-length album, and their fourth release on Deep Elm Records. My expectations for this album were high - very high. After falling in love with Brandtson's last release, an EP entitled "Trying to Figure Each Other Out," the only acceptable thing in my mind would be…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Ken MuellerBrandtson is back with their third full-length disc for Deep Elm and this time the band strays even further from their emo roots, and heads further into the indie-pop realm. Unfortunately, this disc doesn't quite have the strength of either Letterbox or Fallen Star Collection. The disc starts off with an almost Elvis Costello-like "Mark it a Zero," followed by more laid-back and introspective…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Bert GanglDuring the summer of 1996, just as his hardcore band sixfeetdeep was breaking up, vocalist and guitarist Myk Porter joined with drummer and longtime friend Jared Jolley to record a six-song EP. With the addition of fellow sixfeetdeep alum Matt Traxler and bassist John Sayre, the planned EP was fleshed out with four new songs and released on Traxler's own label as the Brandtson full-length debut,…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Trae CadenheadA long-time creator of music of the emo variant, Brandtson made their last EP Trying to Figure Each Other Out more of a venture into a pop-emo sound, a sound that seemed to work well for them. Dial in Sounds is the natural progression from Trying. The music of Dial in Sounds may seem average at first, but upon repeat listens it will be found that the sound is catchier every time you dial in. The…Similar sounding releases
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2000Trying to Figure Each Other Out
1999Fallen Star Collection
2004Send Us A Signal
2003Death and Taxes
1997Letterbox
