Typically when most bands decide to make an acoustic record, it’s to re-record some of their old hits or re-imagine the possibilities of where they could take their songs in their discography. Out of Service is not like most bands. When the time came for lead vocalist Mike Capuano and guitarist Teebs Williams to begin thinking about their fourth album, they were unsure if the songs that they were writing would be best suited for this project. The tracks they were cooking up were largely based in the acoustic style, and yet through their picturesque storytelling and song structures, they all seemed to fit the continued narrative of the band. By the time that bassist Brian McGovern and drummer Ken Bond had heard what would become the bones of Reflections & Refractions: Volume One, they were convinced that these songs belonged under the umbrella of Out of Service. With everyone on board, the band spent nearly three months carving out these songs and recording them Perkins Center for the Arts, a nearly 100-year old building. The recording process was done in the living room that had wooden boards that helped accentuate the reflective and refractive sound of these songs. While the acoustic side of some bands feels a little forced and lacking of theatrics, Out of Service embrace this challenge head on and continue to explore the limitless possibilities of their music.

On the third full-length record from emo rockers Out of Service, they’ve clearly got a lot on their collective minds. The Ground Beneath Me takes on weighty topics like mortality, racial prejudice, and the loss of close relationships, yet it never gets too bogged down by the heaviness of the lyrical material. The set was produced and mixed by Nathan Hussey (All Get Out), who additionally lends his vocal talents to the track called “The Fall,” and was mastered by Emmy award winner Dave Marino. The album also features key guest vocal contributions from John Nolan (Straylight Run, Taking Back Sunday) and Emery, and it feels like Out of Service have earned these worthy collaborations through their steadfast dedication to perfecting their craft. Coming off of the worthy success of their sophomore effort Burden, and a teaser single called “Shelter,” Out of Service are becoming the best versions of themselves on The Ground Beneath Me.

On the new album from the South Jersey/Philadelphia band Out of Service, they do a great job of encapsulating the feelings of living with depression, getting help, and coming to terms with living with a mental illness. The wide range of emotions that a person can go through when they realize they aren’t “feeling right” can be both shocking and heartbreaking at the same time, and Out of Service realizes this is a process. In fact, as a person like me who struggles with depression from time to time, Burden spoke to me more than I thought it would from the very first listen.

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When Out of Service burst onto the scene last year with What We Bring With Us, it was the sound of a band indebted to the sounds of the early 2000s. Bands like Jimmy Eat World, Cartel, and Taking Back Sunday had left fingerprints all across the EP, making for a pleasant if not entirely unique introduction to the New Jersey band. Still, the energy and talent on display were undeniable, and thankfully, on Morning, Out of Service have come into their own.

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