Jackson Free Press

Many music listeners like myself came into their own during what I refer to as "The Drive-Thru Era"—the period in which California record label Drive-Thru Records pumped out a steady stream of pop-punk, emo and indie artists such as Something Corporate, Hellogoodbye and The Starting Line. It's the latter of those bands that came to mind as I worked my way through "Relief," the newest full-length album from Brooklyn, N.Y., and Philadelphia, Pa.-based island-wave band Vacationer.

Both The Starting Line and Vacationer share a vocalist and bassist in frontman Kenny Vasoli, but where The Starting Line began early in the singer's high-school years and featured oft-sappy love songs and tales of teen angst, Vacationer sees a now-adult Vasoli indulge in dreamy electronic layering and beach-party drum beats.

Even after achieving a level of success with Vacationer's 2012 album "Gone," it's still a surprise to hear Vasoli's signature sound applied to a more tranquil type of music. But allowing his sound and image to mature with age is possibly the smartest thing he could do.

I first became aware of Vacationer through the web program Audiotree Live, which introduces viewers to new artists through in-studio performances and intermittent interviews with one of Audiotree's hosts. The band's live set was impressive, as members employed three-part harmonies and an impeccable sense of dynamic. Thankfully, these elements from the live show cross over into "Relief."

While hardcore fans of Vasoli's earlier offerings will likely feel cold toward the settling rhythms found in "Relief," the album is nonetheless a nice turn for Vacationer, one that manages to differentiate every song in its 12-track runtime, a difficult feat when the music falls into such a specific category. At the same time, it's worth noting that there's a time and a place for the permanently peaceful songwriting that Vacationer has to offer and, thus, "Relief" lacks some of the longevity one might want in a music purchase.

Several tracks stand high above the matte dreamscape that is characteristic of the genre, all for varying yet equally good reasons. The opener, "Stay," feels like waking up late on a Saturday morning, complete with layers of chipper xylophone and rise-and-shine flute for texture. In contrast, "Fresh" bears an atmosphere that begs for insertion into a sunset in a surf movie, with a bass line that flows freely underneath a peppy, rhythmic guitar riff. And in an accidental completion of the band's dawn-to-dusk composition, the song "Parallel" is the shuffling anthem of evening that "Relief" demanded, slathered in the sweet wistfulness that appears lightly throughout the album.

Vacationer occupies a niche, one that won't please every listener. While, in my eyes, the band crafts a great set of party music that combines both fun and relaxing energy, I can easily see it falling on the other side of the fence for some. Its regular use of synths certainly does not equate to "dance music." It is also far less frenetic than Vasoli's fans might anticipate, even more than Vacationer's last record. For those in need of a calming musical alternative after a hectic workday, however, Vacationer is certain to offer just that.

Vacationer's "Relief is now available through all online music retailers. For more information, check out vacationermusic.com.