After seeing that The Gallery has producer Warren Huart behind them, I held my expectation unrealistically high for the band. After all, he has produced some of my favorites like Aerosmith, The Fray, and Augustana. However, when the band released their new album Restless, they managed to be far from what I expected. I may, dare I say it, even have a new favorite band.

My favorite songs from this album were hard to choose. I settled on a tie between “Catalyst” and “Ballroom of Broken Hearts.” The first talks about a girl who came and went, but the message is not what drew me in. It was a combination of the drum beat, increasing pace and one captivating line of lyrics. “I heard your sorrys, but I saw no change.” Who hasn’t been there?

The album is not only excellent because it draws you in with the beat. It also keeps you there by pulling the emotional strings on your heart in the most perfect way. The latter song is about a girl who is untrusting and cannot escape the past. The song acknowledges that it is not easy for her. The percussion is perfect to tap your foot to. Honestly, the only way to describe this song is cool. The beats are cool. The lyrics are cool. The band is cool. It is no wonder that their EP, released in 2011, drew in so much attention from college students.

Aside from those, there were two songs that made me eager to attend a concert the next time the band is in town. “Dream Girl” and “The Fever” are both songs that you can sway to and hold lighters up in the air for. “The Fever” has a We The Kings feel, while “Dream Girl” comes close to one of Aerosmith’s smooth, soulful serenades. Both are great.

“Fast Friends” and “Young & Restless” sound like the things you hear on the radio, but better. They make you smile. They make you want to dance and clap and stomp your feet. That is why they are bound to be the next big hit and make an impact that lasts for generations. To get this song and six more, check out thegallerymusic.bandcamp.com. Enter the code “college” for 30 percent off.