But what about where it matters for the devoted music connoisseur: sincerity and depth? Let's take a closer look. Because as a pop record, These Times, and it is solely a pop record this time, is cleanly produced yet not overbearing, consistent, and as a whole reminiscent of everything, if anything, that made past successful radio-ballad bands Goo Goo Dolls, The Fray, Lifehouse, and Snow Patrol enjoyable from time to time in the intimate moments of One Tree Hill, or something like that. So, right away, the chaos theory of the mainstream bastard complex-system immediately went into motion: what do (most) record labels do when potential meets reality for their big-money-bands? Take said hit-debuts, pick out the most boardwalk-applicable qualities, throw in a handful of talented, successful producers - Espionage, Howard Benson, and OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder - and bam: we have twelve songs with the hit potential of "Stay", in this particular case. The sound of These Times pretty much created itself before its own very recording: Safetysuit's single "Stay", a tear-jerker taken from the band's 2008 debut, Life Left to Go, came as a surprise success in the mainstream back in 2009, particularly in the minivans of soccer moms everywhere. Review Summary: Safetysuit bring both the sugar and the consistency for a remarkably strong sophomore release
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