Well, this is a review that I started having no idea what to expect from the album. What follows will be my thoughts as I listen to Air For Free the first time through. Given that the only permanent members of the band seem to be Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes at this point in time, and given that some of our up and coming favorite musicians in Cardboard Kids helped out in the making of the record I’m curious to see where this goes.

“Bummin'” doesn’t waste anytime with over the top intros or buildups. The band just jumps headfirst into the proverbial waters of the record. The hook is pretty standard Relient K fare. Fun and catchy. Not groundbreaking, but they get the job done. I’m definitely getting a nostalgic feeling.

As “Local Construction” kicks in I can tell this record is overall going to have a more pensive feel. This is the sort of song I’d put on a late summer/early fall playlist. I mean, I could have predicted Air For Free would have a more pensive feel from the album art but judging a book (album) by its cover is a bad thing, right? “Mrs. Hippopotamus” retains the mood while at the same time functioning as a homage to their home state and the Cleveland Browns.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9vdQroEBno[/youtube]

The title track “Air For Free” has an interesting feel to it, somewhat lackadaisically stating “We can’t do anything when there’s nothing to do” and then heading in a quirky electronic direction that sounds like it could have been cowritten by Adam Young. The quirkiness of the title track is followed up by a straightforward declaration of faith that is honest and anything but cliche in “God.” “I believe the sky was made for me to touch” is a line in the chorus could be interpreted as self centered but to me is statement that says God’s will for humanity is to experience Him and creation in a deeply profound way. “Mountaintop” continues the sense of reverence with some of the most prominent guitar-work on the album so far.  “Flower” has a melody progression that puts me in a very similar mood to listening to Jimmy Eat World’s “Hard to Find.” Come to think of it – that’s something that Relient K and Jimmy Eat World have in common. These are two groups that share an ability to mix fun with thought-provoking mid-tempo songs. They are very distinct artists to be sure, but “Flower” brings to mind the comparison the most. “Runnin'” is the most high energy song up to this point, and my mind’s eye sees the crowd at one of their shows getting pretty active.

I read in another review that Relient K’s previous album Collapsible Lung makes more sense when viewed in the context of Air For Free. I would agree that Air For Free feels like more of a proper follow up to Forget And Not Slow Down, though the interim release of Collapsible Lung probably makes me appreciate Air For Free a bit more. This album doesn’t have a standout summer single like “Don’t Blink” or even “High of 75” but there are plenty of gems to go around – my gut says they just take a bit more digesting to appreciate.

Score: 4.3/5

Relient K: iTunes