By Amanda Valentovic
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

It’s been three years since they last released music, but the Virginia-based band Parachute is back with their fourth album, “Wide Awake.” The album is filled with songs that are influenced by just about every genre you can think of, from their pop-rock roots to gospel to piano-based ballads. It’s a noticeable and welcome difference from “Overnight,” an album that sounded like it was trying too hard to be dance music.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t still some fun, upbeat songs. The first track, “Without You,” throws big choruses and catchy rhythms at you right off the bat and “Lonely With Me” has simple lyrics and repetitive melodies that will be stuck in your head until they drive you crazy.

Lead singer Will Anderson stretches his voice to its limits on the ballads “When You Move” and “Everything,” and it works. He shows how versatile he can be when compared to the more heavily rock-sounding songs like “Getaway” and “Crave.”

While there isn’t really a bad song on the album, there are a few that shine brighter than the rest. The smooth vocals and descriptive lyrics of “Jennie” make it relaxing to listen to but also one you can sing along with. The title track “Waking Up” is an anthem that closes out the album with country-like guitar riffs and huge cymbal hits from drummer Johnny Stubblefield.

“New Orleans” is the best example of a classic Parachute song – it has a little bit of everything. Anderson’s backup vocals sound like a southern gospel choir, saxophonist Kit French’s part is something that you might actually hear in New Orleans and the lyrics tell a story, which is what this band does best.

Parachute has lost a few members in the last two years with guitarist Nate McFarland and bass player Alex Hargrave both leaving the band. But unlike groups whose music suffers when they downsize, this one managed to rebound from the losses and come back stronger than they were before.

“Wide Awake” has a different sound than Parachute has had in the last few years, but in the best possible way. It sounds a little bit like their 2011 album “The Way it Was,” but more mature. The pop elements from “Overnight” are still there, just not as overdone as they were before.

This band put a new spin on the music they were making and the risk turned into a reward. Sometimes as musicians try to evolve they lose what originally made them unique, but with this album, Parachute proves that doesn’t always have to happen.