The influence of being away from home is evident in Laffer’s song writing. Like all Panics albums, Rain On The Humming Wire is reflective, intimate and human. But, there’s an extra twinge of loneliness and frustration that Laffer blames on dislocation. After all, he did kinda lose his girlfriend; that is, while he was away with the band he was without her.
Not Quite At Home exemplifies the influence of dislocation on The Panic’s music. Descriptive, moving and musically orchestral, it illustrates the feelings of isolation that often accompany homesickness – something the band all experienced while overseas, particularly when holed up in a studio in the middle of the Woodstock woods for a month. Shot Down opens with a promising, rocky beat, jangling tambourines and powerful percussion. The following How Long is a plodding, personal narrative and closer Everything Is Quiet is a delicately subdued, pretty track featuring piano flourishes and the same understated, jangling guitars.
Comparatively, Rain On The Humming Wire is an excursion into more electro-based music that The Panics haven’t experimented with in the past. There are some undeniably interesting songs but, like all of their albums, their downfall comes in the similarity between songs and the often over-introspective mood. Ultimately, The Panics can be amazing in small doses but may become overwhelming if taken as a whole.
Best track: Everything Is Quiet, Majesty
If you like this, you’ll like: THE TRIFFIDS, THE WHITLAMS
In a word: Doughy
