With a cool melody blended with timely musicianship, the first track, "Wishing," sadly laments a relationship with lyrics like, "I find I wish a lot, reduced to a vampire. This is all the damage I care to take..." I see a lot more guitar variety here. In fact, some of the hooks in songs like "Out of My Head" hint at Stavesacre. Though not as heavy, it sure is rock & roll. Geoff Riley keeps the drums plenty busy, while steering clear of overplaying. And Mike Lewis again proves his talent, from smoothly played guitar, to impassioned vocals to his thoughtfully-penned lyrics. For those curious as to his spiritual direction, check out songs like, "Own Devices," which admits, "You whisper my name, I hear my call, I tend to fall down, you lift up my heart... you lift up my eyes," or even "Never the Less," which pleads, "Speak to me gently, I'm fragile now. I'm giving up, please take me over..." It's so good to see an artist write about his/her beliefs by demand of their own broken, open heart, and not the upkeep of a Christian music career. Musically, it seems there's more structure this time, more melody, and less of a mess. So if you like the Puller of old, you may want to think about the qualities you liked and disliked, and go from there. Better yet, just hear the record.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Jeff ElbelThis sophomore venture by former For Love Not Lisa frontman Mike Lewis' group shows alternating signs of maturity and stubbornness. None will argue that Puller isn't a crack rhythm unit; this quartet manages time shifts to make any prog band drool. The band exhibits more texture and emo appeal this time, while tracks like "Wishing" and "She" suggest kinship with the Foo Fighters. The problem with…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Brett MacAlpine"Wishing," the opening track of Closer Than You Think, will no doubt have Puller fans scratching their heads, wondering, "Where have they taken my favorite band, and who is playing this radio-friendly modern rock in their place?" Not to worry. The hammering riffs and jagged rhythms introduced on their debut, Sugarless, return in time to keep the fan from throwing the disc on the pile of…7ball #20Reviewed by Derek Walker"This is all the damage I care to take," Puller frontman Mike Lewis asserts in the opening track on Closer Than You Think, "Wishing." Sporting a world-weary and mysteriously earnest tone in his pleasant singing voice, Lewis (formerly of now-defunct mainstream rock act For Love Not Lisa) leads his Southern California-based outfit through 12 stirring tunes that make up a gem of a sophomore album.…Similar sounding releases
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