It has been over three years since (soul rock/pop rock/pop punk) band The Cab have released an album. However, these were not three easy years; they faced line-up changes as well leaving their record label.  Despite all of this, the men of The Cab rallied together to create their long-awaited release “Symphony Soldier.”

“Symphony Soldier” starts off strong with three tracks familiar to most fans.  “Angel With a Shotgun” presents the first song that results back to the military or warlike theme. Lead singer Alex DeLeon released the lyrics to this song a year prior to the album’s release and the band had been playing it live during their recently wrapped up tour with All Time Low. The song itself was already quite popular and draws in listeners with great ease.  Following “Angel” is “Temporary Bliss,” which was leaked over a year ago; this song highlights the R&B influences that have come to shape the band. Finishing out the trio of well-known songs is the album’s single, “Bad,” a catchy tune about wanting an unhealthy relationship.

Although most of DeLeon’s lyrics center around love and lust, the album does not necessarily flow perfectly. However, this does not distract from the quality of the album. The fourth track on the album is entitled “Endlessly” and helps the band in returning to the charm of songs such as “Take My Hand” from their first album. The song illustrates the ideal love story and is enough to make any girl swoon. However, the album takes a sharp turn to the sultry “Animal,” clashing love with lust. Once again, R&B roots are channeled, particularly though DeLeon’s vocals.

This upbeat, R&B feel continues through the next three tracks, “Intoxicated,” “La La,” and “Her Love is My Religion.” These three songs have a sense of nostalgia that can be connected to The Cab’s first release, but there is one clear key difference. On “Symphony Soldier,” the band seems more willing to take risks. This may be credited to the fact that the album was released independently, but there is no doubt that it helps the overall feel of the album. They are no longer looking for people to like them; they are proving why they deserve the recognition they have received.

Moving on from the R&B feel of most of the album, the ninth and tenth tracks feature more of a rock edge. The aggressive “Another Me” addresses a relationship gone sour with results that can be compared to Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable.” On a lighter note, the album switches over to the infectious “Grow Up and Be Kids.”  This song calls out the fact that in out society today, we all try to grow up too fast; this leads us to restricting our sense of imagination in wonder. However, someday, we can eventually get back to the idea of just being kids.

The eleventh track on the album is a standout track, as it is the only slow song on the album. “Lovesick Fool” reflects upon the bitterness of a failed relationship. Once again, DeLeon moves back to a more R&B feel, making the song more interesting and refreshing.

The final track on the album, “Living Louder,” is arguably the best on the entire album. The song sounds similar to previous release “This City is Contagious,” but focuses on living life for one last day rather than success. Although some themes of the song may seem similar to “Grow Up and Be Kids,” there is a certain infectious or reassuring feel about the song; it encourages making the most of each day and continuing to dream because you may not know when it is your last day.

Overall, it can be plainly seen that The Cab has been put in thousands of hours of hard work into this album over the past three years, but was it worth it? The answer is simple:  yes.  Despite all of the hardships and delays, this is a solid album and was worth the wait. Hopefully, however, The Cab will not make its fans wait another three years before releasing new material.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Key tracks: “Living Louder”/”Endlessly”/”Angel With a Shotgun”