SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Safety in Numbers abandons most of the band's experimentation and it seems the band starts to lack on new ideas. It oscillates between acoustic simple tracks, almost seeming we're listening to a songwriter, although with some progressive rock nuances, from guitar solos and piano and saxophone lines to back sound textures.

Umphrey's Mcgee deposits their characteristic staccato approach to the instruments, helping to confine it to their own identity. The result is a nice collection of soft tracks, but with nothing that imposes it particularly on this era. Some hard rock roots are found in some tracks, like the catchy "Nemo" or the Prefab's Sprout evoking "Intentions Clear". Blues/country influences are found in the ambience of "Women Wine and Song". The catchy mellow acoustic instrumental "End of the Road" is a sensibility standout for the band, while "Words" has a special beauty on its main motive. "Ocean Billy" is the most experimental and the closest to the previous record, while "The Weight Around" emotional chorus is an interesting final to the album.

While having its faults, concerning what could we expect from the band's creativity, still proves to be a good collection of simple but catchy songs.