The Avalanche EP (October 28, 2016)
On the latest release by The Trick, Patrick Reinartz seems to have found a comfortable balance between the 90s pop song structures that initially defined the project and the rock-driven ensemble he introduced with last year’s stellar EP, Fearsome Places.
The Avalanche EP opens with a familiar synth-loop reminiscent of Reinartz‘ earlier work as The Trick before slowly incorporating elements now available to his creative palette thanks to addition of former Das Radio bandmate Sean Sullivan on drums, along with guitarist Mike Nason and bassist JE Sheehy, who each skillfully lend their own voice to this solo-project-turned-quartet.
“We approached it with a songs-first mindset,” said Reinartz, commenting on how these latest songs were developed. “The recording felt a bit more like what I did pre-band, except that I now had all these extra musical minds to tap. They’re songs that we’ve played live a few times already, but we let the recordings develop independently.”
From the opening notes of Losing Our Grip and into the title track that follows, Reinartz displays his strength as a vocalist, arranger and composer and brings The Trick’s current incarnation full circle, taking the listener back to the project’s sonic foundations before returning to the broader rock sounds that helped define the group’s previous release.
Across the EP’s four tracks, The Trick continue to deliver beautifully arranged subtle pop gems that blend programming and live instrumentation with increasing accuracy and continue to leave us wanting more.
