Never Enough
Turnstile
Turnstile don't seem especially worried about where hardcore is supposed to stop. Never Enough has heavy guitars, electronic passages, bright pop melodies and enough changes of pace to keep a few different audiences occupied. The useful thing is that the songs usually remain clear through all of it. You don't need a map.
The title track takes its time before opening up, giving Brendan Yates' voice plenty of room. It sets up an album that is happy to build an atmosphere before delivering the heavier part. Sole and Birds provide more immediate reminders of the band's roots. The drums give those songs real movement, and the riffs still have plenty of physical force.
I Care is a different sort of highlight. The melody is bright, the guitars have a soft shimmer, and the handclaps make it feel surprisingly light. It works because the band sound comfortable with the change. There is no sense that they have stopped the album to announce a pop experiment.
Seein' Stars goes further with a loose, almost funky rhythm. The bass is central to the appeal, while Yates gives the chorus a simple, direct shape. It's one of the strongest songs here. For a band with so much energy available, they are getting very good at knowing when to hold some back.
Then Look Out for Me takes nearly seven minutes to travel through heavy riffs, quieter electronic space and a dance-driven ending. It's an ambitious stretch, and mostly a convincing one. The quieter passages occasionally stay around longer than they need to, though. Some of the album's atmosphere would be just as effective with a little less waiting.
The production also smooths away some of the danger. Anyone wanting an unbroken run of fast, rough songs will have to adjust their expectations. Still, the combination of melody, rhythm and weight is hard to dismiss. Never Enough gives you several good reasons to follow the band into unfamiliar places. The strongest moments make those places feel surprisingly natural.
