Trace Mountains
Into The Burning Blue
Lame-O Records [2024]
“A timeless fusion of heartland rock and 80s nostalgia, Into The Burning Blue from Trace Mountains hits all the right emotional chords.”
Album Overview: Trace Mountains is the solo project of Dave Benton, formerly a member of the indie rock band LVL UP. Over the years, Benton has refined his craft, building a distinct voice that blends introspection with indie rock sensibilities. Into The Burning Blue is the fourth full-length album by Trace Mountains, marking Benton’s transition through an emotional period. Created during a significant personal shift, the album channels his experiences of heartbreak and renewal. Benton collaborated with Craig Hendrix, using the recording process as a way to channel and confront emotions that emerged suddenly and powerfully. The result is a collection of songs that contrast introspective pain with uplifting resolve. The underlying tension across the record’s nine tracks also fuels the most accomplished sound Trace Mountains has recorded. Into The Burning Blue sounds deep, well thought out, timeless, and contains impactful earworms at every turn.
Musical Style: Into The Burning Blue finds Trace Mountains merging heartland rock with influences from synth-pop and 80s-inspired aesthetics. The album’s production is rich with reverberating textures, sharp melodies, and rhythmic elements reminiscent of iconic 80s rock pop. These sounds are layered with Benton’s characteristic warmth, which retains an organic feel despite the shift in sonic direction. Synth leads, electric guitar riffs, and gated snares contribute to an immersive soundscape, creating an experience that combines nostalgia with emotional immediacy, while sounding perfectly relevant for 2024.
Evolution of Sound: Benton continues to expand his sound by moving beyond his earlier lo-fi pop tendencies into more polished, high-fidelity territory on Into The Burning Blue. The inclusion of a larger ensemble of musicians brings a fuller sound to his compositions, blending his folk-pop roots with elements of 80s rock. The album incorporates atmospheric synths and dynamic arrangements that amplify Benton’s storytelling while maintaining his signature candid lyrical approach. Trace Mountains has evolved over several releases, allowing Benton to explore themes of personal growth, relationships, and the changing nature of his identity.
Artists with Similar Fire: Listeners who enjoy artists like Kurt Vile, Grant-Lee Phillips, Kevin Morby, Bruce Springsteen, MJ Lenderman, and The War on Drugs will find elements of Into The Burning Blue appealing. The use of roots rock blended with synth-pop, along with introspective lyricism, draws parallels to these artists while retaining a distinct individual identity.
Pivotal Tracks: The opening track, “In A Dream,” is just over seven minutes long and takes the listener on a journey through mid-80s rock influences and Benton’s cinematic storytelling. “Friend” adopts a more stripped-back approach, highlighting the album’s goal for each song to stand on its own, even with minimal arrangements. “Hard to Accept” fuses folk and new wave dance elements, offering a vibe reminiscent of The War on Drugs, while “Ponies” captures Benton’s lyrical exploration of moving forward. The instrumental textures, such as Meg Duffy’s guitar solo on “Ponies,” add richness, bridging the emotional gap between past and present phases of Benton’s work. “Gone & Done” features a more stylistic folk-new wave instrumentation that invites toe-tapping and draws attention to the lyrics.
Lyrical Strength: The lyrics on Into The Burning Blue reflect Benton’s journey through personal upheaval, capturing a range of emotions from sorrow to hope. Tracks like “Crawling Back To You” reveal the complexity of human relationships, conveying the tension between conflict and avoidance. Throughout the album, Benton writes with vulnerability, using vivid imagery to express both pain and acceptance.
TRACE MOUNTAINS REVIEW HISTORY
Lost In The Country (2020)
TRACE MOUNTAINS LINKS
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Lame-O Records
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