With a name like Double Experience and an album called Unsaved Progress I expected some retro, 8-bit madness, but that’s not what I got. Although they label themselves as “neo-nerd rock,”I found the neo and nerd parts to be a bit of a stretch.
Progress possesses a handful of solid aspects. The production is super clean and crisp, resulting in a pleasing and inoffensive sound. The performance is energetic, upbeat, and near bombastic, and it is clear that they had fun making the album with playful lyrics themed around video games, romance, and science. Also, the intros for almost every song are like a sucker punch to the gut with their weight and power. Unfortunately, these strong points are mired in a staleness that threatens to suffocate the entire performance.
From the first track and all the way to the end, there is an early 2000s rock radio feel to the sound. While on its own this would not be a problem, it is the all-consuming nature of the tone that makes for issues. Outside of the creative lyrics, I would be hard-pressed to discern between each track. Even if the band pioneered the tone, it still would grow old during the album because of the formulaic structure of each and every track. While the lyrics fit the neo-nerd vibe Double experience shoot for, the rest of the music falls short.
There’s potential in Unsaved Progress. Double Experience demonstrate a high degree of competency and passion in their work, but their creativity is limited. While I won’t say go out and buy it now, the album does have enough merit to deserve a listen or two.