Album review: Citizen – Life In Your Glass World

Now on album four, Toledo trio Citizen have covered a wealth of musical ground throughout their career, with various iterations of post-hardcore, indie-rock and shoegaze present across their records. In amongst all that has been a heavy reliance on the earnest qualities of emo, and on Life In Your Glass World, Citizen once more lay all their emotions on the line. It makes for a consistently rewarding listen.

The raucous groove of opening track Death Dance Approximately kicks things off with a flurry of energy that contrasts the lamentations of vocalist Mat Kerekes’, who steadfastly declares, ‘I don’t wanna go outside today / I don’t wanna talk to anybody / I don’t care to hear about your day.’ The tempo remains high on I Want To Kill You, which delivers some bouncy indie-rock, before mellow indie number Blue Sunday and the easy-going sounds of Thin Air slow down the pace. They freely jump between fast-moving rockers and more sombre moments on Life In Your Glass World, but the flow remains constant and smooth, even if it’s in their comparatively heavier moments that the band truly excel.

There’s more fun to be had via the punchy post-punk of Pedestal and penultimate track Winter Buds, whose unexpectedly fuzzed-out bridge is one of this album’s most enjoyable moments, but Citizen save the best for last here, as closing song Edge Of The World brings things to a grand, emotional climax that effortlessly invokes every facet of its creators’ varied sound.

A composed and well-thought-out record, Life In Your Glass World doesn’t exactly shatter expectations, but what it does showcase is a talented band operating with a fully-fledged confidence and faith in their craft, and that’s more than fine by us.

Verdict: 3/5

For Fans Of: Turnover, Balance And Composure, Tigers Jaw

Life In Your Glass World is out now via Run For Cover.

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