Every Sign of Life – The Mascot Theory (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

It was probably hard to find many silver linings as we crawled out of the wreckage of Covid and stumbled, blinking into the light after those enforced isolations. But perhaps it did give creatives, and especially bands, a break from the constant momentum and allow then chance to pause and evaluate, think and consider. It was this time of reflection that allowed The Mascot Theory to add two new members to their lineup and head in a more rock and roll-inspired direction.

And the result of those additions is neatly summed up in their latest album, Every Sign of Life. The opener, Piece by Piece by Peace, sets the tone perfectly with crunchy guitar riffs and a wilfully lazy-paced stomping groove.

There are tracks such as Stone Cold, which neatly blend a country-rock vibe with more foot-on-the-monitor urges. There are also numbers such as Andromeda, a gnarly rock piece bookended by the spacey sonics that the title alludes to. And then there are more spacious numbers, such as Fast Car Getaway, a song that blends singer-songwriter subtleties with a more band-driven sonic weight.

Can I also add that it probably doesn’t hurt that singer/guitarist Erik Kjelland doesn’t sound altogether unlike Neil Diamond? Although that depends on your feelings towards Neil Diamond, I guess.

But it is a great album, one that blends musical accessibility with sonic integrity, and that is a rare thing to behold in this day and age.