Self-released – Release Date: 1/25/19

Last month, AM Taxi released their first new music in over two years and their first full-length since 2010, called Shiver by Me. Recorded by Joe Gac and Shane Hendrickson, and mixed by Sean O’Keefe, the album captures the energy of the band’s live shows and takes elements of their past work and pushes it forward. The record gets underway with “Saint Jane,” an energetic opening track that’s propelled by the skillful bass lines of Jason Schultejann. Its lyrics are slightly self-deprecating, but also talk about making the best of a bad situation. “Harpoon” utilizes a unique back-and-forth tempo to establish its mood, while guitarist Jay Marino delivers an inventive solo that likely represents the album’s best lead guitar work. “Movie About Your Life” is one of the most accessible songs here, with an acoustic intro that naturally transitions to an exceptionally catchy chorus. Its message urges listeners to lead a passion-filled existence, (“If they made a movie about your life, would anybody see it twice? / Are the characters and the plot worth the ticket price?”). At the midway point, a subtle electric guitar lead emerges, welcoming the rest of band to join in and spotlighting the talents of drummer Chris Smith. The whole group goes through the chorus one last time before ending the song at the perfect spot, leaving the listener wanting just a little more.

“Stuck Around” is an up-tempo, Springsteen-esque rocker, led by the urgent and assured vocals of singer/guitarist Adam Krier. Of all the songs on Shiver by Me, it’s probably most similar to their first record, but sounds like more of a natural progression from that point. “Shaken over You” is arguably the most ambitious song on the album, complete with a danceable rhythm, piano accents and creative songwriting. There’s also trombone and saxophone parts included, which are reminiscent of Pleased to Meet Me-era Replacements. The record concludes with “Warsaw Blues,” a somber track that laments a strained relationship, (“Warsaw Blues and the rhythm holds you tight / the melody was there but the timing wasn’t right”). Former members Luke Schmitt, (keyboards and backing vocals) and John Schmitt, (backing vocals) lend a hand to help solidify this climactic closing song.

Shiver by Me contains elements of punk, classic rock and power pop, but it’s really the impressive songwriting and musicianship that shine through most. There’s also plenty of diversity amongst these songs, most of which feature big hooks that were seemingly written with ease. With this album, AM Taxi has taken a significant step forward in evolving their sound. They’ve also produced a collection of songs that are tailor-made for live shows, a setting where this band is at its best.