Twenty One Pilots - "Shy Away" Single Review (New Album. New Era. New Sound. Postal Service vibes?!)


In the midst of a brighter future and with the hope of normality on the horizon, it's safe to say that the future looks extremely bright; and with that comes new eras of life. As for the well loved and critically esteemed pop-rock band Twenty One Pilots, that new era is quickly dawning upon us. The band have released their first single and lead off track 'Shy Away' from their forthcoming album "Scaled And Icy", and it's safe to say that the band is diving headfirst into uncharted waters with this new sound, featuring thrilling guitars and bass that will instantly remind fans of that of The Postal Service.

The name "Scaled And Icy" is an enneagram for "Clancy is dead", giving fans some references from their previous album "Trench" to tie the new era with the previous one together. This new song perfectly incorporates the band's core sound with elements of alternative rock, giving off vibes of the likes of The 1975, Half Alive, The Postal Service, and even The Killers. The electrifying guitars along with Josh's eclectic drumming, Tyler's amazing vocals, and an overall sense of bombast make this masterful track worth listening to on repeat. The song honestly sounds like it belongs in the 2000's, most likely to end up trending on MySpace or the like.

The sensual energy that radiates from this track is overwhelming. With allegories of "shedding your modesty" and "placing bets" make for an different take that we haven't seen from the band before. With an overarching message of love in difficult times making for an "on the nose" approach given that we as a society are on the verge of a new sense of normal. it's a great message to see and it fits the song well.

Musically, this is one of the strongest songs that this duo has ever released. With a new sound that feels like it's coming from a full band rather than a duo. The most jarring thing about this track is the heavy use of guitar and bass, giving the band a more 'rockier' vibe than expected, but it works so well. What makes this even better is Tyler and Josh rocking the long hair now. So cool to see!

Tyler is firing on all cylinders here with a manic performance that rivals that of the "Trench" era, and Josh Dun is clapping back with some fierce drum work and some almost "punk" esque beats that fit the track very well.

It's odd to have new music from the band so soon, and especially new music that is this good. The band know how to play to each other's strengths, and to see them firing on all cylinders while evolving their sound into a new direction is exciting.

'Shy Away' is some of the band's best work to date, and it will be interesting to see what other surprises that the band have in store and to see where the next record takes us when "Scaled And Icy" drops on May 21st.

Rating: 4.5/5

Written by Samuel Cook / Dylan Stearman

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

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