The Transits’ self-titled debut album crosses oceans and connects continents with charm but ultimately offers up little more than a nostalgia trip.
Somehow, through the oceanic expanse that separates Durban, home of vocalist and guitarist Ryan Lunn, and Auckland, New Zealand, where bassist Dom Antelme and drummer Tyrone Smith reside, the Transits create a sound that is unequivocally American.
To be more precise, the suburban, Blink-182-esque pop-punk that defined the early ’00s (replete with American accents) which is, perhaps, too nostalgic to be taken in earnest.
Heart-sore love songs like “Heartbreak Queen” – whose video shows the trio performing as crash test dummies (not the band) to symbolise love’s bruising and battering nature – aside, more serious numbers like “Light My Way Back Home”, which touches on the 2022 KZN riots, lose some of their impact to the inherent cheesiness of the sound.
Nonetheless the upbeat-pop formula employed throughout gives the album an infectious groove that does enough to hook the ear regardless of its nostalgic leanings.
Feature pic supplied by artist
