Troubled Days

After a four-year absence, Seabird returns with Troubled Days, a well-realized song collection that acknowledges heartache while searching for hope. The Cincinnati band’s independently released third album—funded with fan support via a Kickstarter campaign—retains the musical elements that first earned it a devoted following. Aaron Morgan’s clear-toned vocals and Britpop-influenced keyboards keep Seabird’s sound crisp and propulsive, supported by brother Ryan’s strategic guitar heroics and Jason Gann’s fluid bass lines. “Pull You In,” “Golden Skies," and “Find a Way” juggle mixed emotions as they simultaneously uplift and provoke listeners. The gleeful bite of “We Can’t Be Friends” balances the thoughtfully poetic approach of “Palmetto Peach.” Seabird’s Christian underpinnings come through most clearly in the rollicking “Love Suicide” and the folky, gospel-rooted “Stand Out.” The dark clouds hovering over Troubled Days’ tunes may reflect the band’s rocky career path. Fortunately, Seabird has bounced back from hard times to deliver a convincing, ultimately inspirational effort.