Reviews for Embracing the Cold Margins:

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"Slow Buildings is the brainchild of Jason Legacy. For the last ten years Legacy has released music under Slow Buildings but the latest release Embracing the Cold Margins is arguably his best release yet.

Legacy is refining his skill and consistently shows he knows how to write an indie rock/pop gem. There are an ample amount of catchy songs starting with “Me Me Me.” The most obvious reference on this song in particular would be The Shins.

“What's Wrong With People” is another success. The songwriting is fluid with no extra fat. It’s dynamic, has a nice flow and a chorus that comes close to sounding like a sing- a-long on a kids’ show. However the lyrics would not be appropriate for kids.

Legacy provides just enough variation to keep things interesting yet not go too far into left field. “Mystery Needs” is a melodic, fleshed-out song while “She's An Intellectual” is a more intense rocker that contains bursts of exuberant energy.

“Always Closing In” rides a phaser effect, while “Drunk after Work” is one of the few songs that is laced with melancholy and nostalgia. Legacy ends with the upbeat and positive feeling “Avenues of Escape”, that contains lyrics which are quite thought provoking and contrast the feel of the song.

​Embracing the Cold Margins is a great album that was a pleasure to listen to from head to toe. It’s a longer album at twelve songs, but it never dragged for me because of the levity and fun nature of the songs. Recommended. 

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4.0 out of 5" - Jamie Funk, Divide and Conquer

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Reviews for the Poison Condition EP:

 

“Poison Condition is a five-song EP that follows quickly on the heels of A Fresh Slice, the full-length album Slow Buildings also released in 2014. Nonetheless, it’s a well-thought out effort, even if some of those thoughts are dark and mean-spirited. As the title suggests, it’s almost as if the New Jersey-based indie rock quartet needed to get these venomous sentiments out of its system.

 

“Where [are] the magical medications/To deal with these vanishing expectations?” lead vocalist-guitarist Jason Legacy wonders on the title track. It’s a guitar-driven portrait of a guy who’s no longer in control of his mind or body, and like the other four songs here, it’s set to a catchy arrangement with echoes of 1980s new wave and pub rock. Bassist Christopher Basile and drummer Marx Lenin propel the snakey and fun instrumentation on “Cruise Elroy” while Legacy notes, “It’s a hard world/Maybe you’ve found that, too.” On “Calling It Off,” Slow Buildings use a calypso beat to dismiss a moody friend.

 

The satiric “Aggressively Stupid” sports abrasive observations like, “And she tells me vapid bullshit is good/She’s the human Access Hollywood” and “I see no happy ending for you with me.” “Your Celibate Life” seems to be about unrequited love although the lyrics find Slow Buildings at their most cryptic. Still, it’s hard to resist the infectious mix of twangy and acoustic guitars, layered vocals, and the way Chris Fuchs creates an orchestral effect on keyboards. This kind of poison is easy to take.  

 

Poison Condition garnered an Honorable Mention on the Broken Hearted Toy Favorite Releases of 2014 List (See December 1st post). Had I been more familiar with it at the time, it would have been included within the Top 40.” - Terry Flamm, Broken Hearted Toy, January 8, 2015

 

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Reviews for A Fresh Slice:

 

“Slow Buildings is the project of NJ-based singer-songwriter Jason Legacy. He writes the sort of immediately engaging  power-pop that takes – at the longest – the first chorus to hook the listener. While Legacy’s angsty vocals are reminiscent of vintage power-poppers like Teenage Fanclub and The Replacements, the instrumental arsenal and frequent knack for hooks reminds of groups like Ozma and their anthemic synth-aided power-pop. Legacy’s sound still seems to be guitar-first, even on the synth-tinged “Swallow the Sea”, but the electronic additives are offered up in the ideal serving size throughout his new full-length, A Fresh Slice. Another highlight, “Bad Apples”, features an airy indie-pop vibe reminiscent of The Shins throughout the breezy verses and spright piano-pop additions, though with a darker, distorted chorus that reminds us of Legacy’s eclectic reach.” - Mike Mineo, Obscure Sounds, July 22, 2014

 

“The best part of this album has to be how precise the musical ideas are. In other words, what you hear is what you get. The guitar part best exemplifies this; the composition is developed and comes in clear. The lead vocal is consistent and unwavering. Of course, the kind of lyrics perfect to accompany such straightforward composition would be frank and honest and that is showcased well in the lyrics heard throughout the record. They even say it themselves: “Coded words are rarely true.” But with all I’ve said about being transparent and honest, that does not mean that there is no room for creativity. I find that the percussion and piano parts serve as the accents and embellishments to the entire album… My biggest surprise was how well you can hear the New Jersey influence in certain songs. Our state has shared plenty of musical history, and you can hear that influence throughout A Fresh Slice. If they stick to their approach, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make their mark as the next great band from Jersey.” - Priscilla Cordero, The Aquarian, September 17, 2014