Album Review: Maker - Self Titled EP

Album Rating: B-

When a band releases an EP following their debut full-length, it usually gives an indication as to what direction they're going in. Will they maintain the sound they've already established? Or will they try something a little different? In the case of Maker with their self-titled EP, they're definitely trying to incorporate some variation, but whether the change is positive or negative is very much up for debate.

With Mirrors, Maker hit the scene hard with a phenomenal throw-back of an album. They captured the pop/punk/emo style that Brand New originally had when they released Your Favorite Weapon, bringing about reactions not dissimilar to when Transit came out with Keep This to Yourself. Any momentum they gained based on that album was well-deserved, and if you haven't gotten around to listening to it, yet, I highly recommend you do so. With the new EP, though, they seem to be leaning more so on the pop side as opposed to their edgier, more punk style.

Based on the first two tracks, "Shadows" and "You Know Who You Are," this isn't necessarily a bad thing. They're catchier than the songs on the previous release, but there are enough slight hints to Mirrors in the songs that could be a precursor to a solid follow-up release. The rest of the EP does follow in a similar fashion, just way more in that pop direction I mentioned before. This change in sound could work in their favor, admittedly, just as Transit's Listen & Forgive did pretty well for them. The bulk of today's listeners seem to have a penchant for the more upbeat side of music, in which case this could go very well for them; only time will tell.

As a whole, the EP does hold some weight, it's just very difficult to make any predictions as to where they'll be in the future. It's different enough to say that yes, they are trying to progress, but based on these songs, it's impossible to tell how different the change in sound will be. It could be very positive, or it could be a let down; we'll just have to wait and see. As a pretty big fan of Mirrors, I certainly wish them the best of luck, and hope more people start to catch on to them.

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Track List:
1. Shadows
2. You Know Who You Are
3. I Had to Put My Lady Down
4. Medina
5. Hurricanes