Though X Ambassadors’ debut album VHS is named for something less than current, these four men sure know how to entice in the modern music industry.

X Ambassadors may be familiar to most people due to the heavy use of their songs on television. Their first single “Jungle” was featured in trailers for season two of Orange Is the New Black and in the hit movie sequel Pitch Perfect 2. VHS‘s second single “Renegades,” as well as the band members themselves, were featured in Jeep’s Renegade relaunch commercial. This commercial has been shown widely, and you would probably be hard pressed to find someone who has not heard the song.

One aspect X Ambassadors is able to execute extremely well on VHS is a seamless track flow. Even when switching from the somber and downtempo “Unsteady” to upbeat and inspirational “Hang On,” the transition somehow works. X Ambassadors knows its sound and how to present it in a way that will best highlight each song. “B.I.G.” is an example of busy instrumentation with booming vocals. It is then followed by a more mellow and soothing track, “Feather.” The mood of the album is immediately brought back up with the effective lyrics and strong electric guitar riffs of “Superpower.” In the age of shuffle and singles, it is noteworthy when artists put effort into their track listing.

In a creative attempt to add a personal aspect to their album, X Ambassadors included seven interludes on VHS. The band members collected and digitized VHS’s from their childhood and teenage years and then cut pieces of audio from the tapes to create these interludes. Though I can appreciate their artistic vision, the interludes were not executed well. These personal audio clips, while probably very sentimental to the band members, lose meaning to the listener because absolutely no context is given. In one clip, “Moving Day,” we hear excited chatter from an adult and child about a “new house” and “running around in open spaces.” With a band comprised of childhood friends including two brothers and a blind keyboardist, these could have been touching and insightful for the listener, but unfortunately the audience is merely left a bit confused.

The album features collaborations with both Imagine Dragons and Jamie N Commons. It comes as no surprise that X Ambassadors would collaborate with Imagine Dragons. After Imagine Dragons heard one of X Ambassadors’ early songs on a local radio station, they asked Interscope Records to sign the group. The two bands have become close friends and they even toured together multiple times. The groups worked together to create “Fear,” a sonically interesting song with an explosive chorus. There are two tracks featuring Jamie N Commons on VHS, “Low Life” and “Jungle.” Jamie N Commons is a London-based folk and blues singer whose baritone vocals add soulful dimension to these songs.

Overall, X Ambassadors’ VHS is a very promising debut. It is packed full of effective ballads with meaningful lyrics that are still catchy and appealing enough for radio play. With their first album peaking at number eight on the iTunes chart, and “Renegades” making it to number 12, I’m excited to see what success awaits the band in the near future.

Favorite track: “Low Life”

Least favorite track: “Loveless”

Rating: 6/10