Packed with elaborate electronic jams, The Main Drag’s second album is an instinctively rich collection of art-pop. Bedroom crashes and basement parties collide as an array of effects hypnotize dance beats and acoustic shuffles. Yours As Fast As Mine comes from all angles in unnaturally dense layers while adjusting the energy throughout.
From the opening, stereophilic riff of "How We’d Look On Paper", the album carries a calm swing that gets royally embellished the whole way through. Romping drums, fanfare, and high-plane vocals set the first track off. The sleek "Swine Houses" pulls the reins a tad as it mixes melancholy strings with dark mechanical effects in a smooth-stepped jaunt. The third track, "A Jagged Gorgeous Winter" pumps a dance beat while a silvery guitar and buzzing synth highlight the quick pace. The fourth twist, "Love During Wartime", is a cool, artificial beat with shimmering effects all around.
Of all the facets that contribute to the mix, the acoustic guitars on "Car Windows" and "Montana" are perhaps the most affecting, especially as they open the songs up in the provoking ways on Yours As Fast As Mine. Immediately after the enchanting lull, "What’s Your Favorite Dinosaur?" picks it up in a big way, as a bombastic jam with some of the album’s highest points. "Dove Nets" encouragingly stomps along afterwards. "Taking Apart A Gigantic Machine" cruises passionately in its digitally-washed choruses, then "Even Seconds" is a chilled mix splashed with slick effects. "Goodnight Technologist" finishes the highly-engineered album with an acoustic guitar buoyed by strings as a synthetic satisfied beat ultimately dissolves into chaos before the acoustic guitar lays it down.
With intense instrumentation, but relaxed posture, Yours As Fast As Mine is as elaborate an album as you can find. It’s full-bodied and refreshing, and will surely make you more interesting after a few listens.
