Over time, Transit have shown nothing but sheer progress, release after release. However, since the band is so involved within today's Pop Punk renaissance, it seems like expectations can sometimes cloud listeners' judgements if they don't happen to receive a straight up Pop Punk record. The positive to this is that the fans who are loyal and open-minded enough to stick around, will be well rewarded.
Because no two Transit records are completely alike, the best comparison would be made next to the band's prior EP, Something Left Behind. Transit's sound has vastly changed since Keep This To Yourself, offering a much more mellow approach, balancing out the Pop Punk to Indie ratio. Meshing a result which brings American Football or The Get Up Kids to mind, Listen & Forgive is an outlier in the best way possible. It may be due to the fact that Transit have familiarised themselves with bands of typically less experimental music, but aspects such as the record's guitar work are outstanding. Personally, I found most of the riffs found scattered across Listen & Forgive are the kind to send shivers down your back.
The album's opener, You Can't Miss It (It's Everywhere), eases its way into top gear with a short drum intro and a snippet of Transit's signature riffs. The song's outro is just as memorable, gradually breaking down to Boynton's vocal solo. Further on, the title track is a cheerful and catchy tune, which seems to lie somewhere in between Transit's traditional Indie-tinged songs and their Pop Punk counterparts. Though overall the similarity between Transit and their influences, particularly American Football, are a breath of fresh air, often I found that they became borderline repetitive with various instances across single tracks. Skipping Stone is once again a throwback to the almost-entirely acoustic EP, Something Left Behind. Transit have always found a way to deliver their acoustic songs in such a way that makes them as fulfilling as their electric versions might be. A few of the songs which form the body of the album, including I Think I Know You and Don't Make A Sound, had little new to offer, and instead reiterated what had already been established. Listening to the re-recorded version of 1978 was also another way of comparing the band's progress. The album winds down with Over Your Head and The Answer Comes In Time, the latter being a particular gem in the lot.
It's no surprise that Transit are not afraid to deviate from the standards, and at the end of the day that's a fundamental trait to possess in a world full of so many artists trying to make their mark. Though the band has evolved in many ways over the years, I feel that they still have a few steps to climb before reaching their potential peak, based on what they've so far accomplished. Listen & Forgive is for the most part a talented, solid record, displaying growth in musicianship and lyricism, though as I previously mentioned, I fear many may overlook these qualities if it rubs them the wrong way.
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