Album Reviews
Review: HoneyChild – Nearer The Earth
HoneyChild – Nearer The Earth
Released: August 31, 2010
Label: Self-released
I may sound clichéd here, but HoneyChild is probably one of the best bands you’ve never heard. The band, currently comprised of Tobias Jesso (Guitars & Vocals), Noah Gersh (Guitars, Banjo, Mandolin, & Vocals), Erik Donley (Vocals & Guitar), Jamie Schefman (Bass & Vocals), Lance Piebenga (Keys), and Rheese Detrow (Drums), hails from Los Angeles, California. Gersh describes, “We’re all very different, and all have incredibly unique things to bring to the table.”
The band’s self-released debut Nearer The Earth was recorded with just two microphones and a laptop, but the eight-track release contains a bright, sunny sound that is filled with brilliant moments of layered melodies and instrumentals.
Opener “The Father” begins the album with a mellow, passionate sound that is both gripping and inspiring. The soft crooning is emphasized by the twinkling guitar in the background and rhythmic clashing of the drums, creating a powerful mix of emotions and passion that is both didactic and contemplative: “I couldn’t leave my land by the deep doors, my eldest son…”
The pace of the album picks up with “Tijuana”, an uplifting anthem that feels suitable for a stadium. The aptly titled “Driving Song” is warm and inviting, with a catchy chorus that begs for a sing-a-long on a long road trip: “Soldier standing with head fake high / What could have been of your life / The fields have grown / We won’t live that long / I got home I got / Take me home.”
“Lonesome Tiger” and “The Owl” are slotted in the middle of the record, with both songs containing metaphoric tales of nature and life: the lonesome tiger finding love and the sage owl calmly watching over the world. “Joker’s Wild” sounds like a clever blend between a natural, folk-roots sound and the indie rock-infused sounds of Portugal. The Man, something the band must have picked up during their shows with P.TM, Alberta Cross, OneEskimo, White Denim and more.
My main gripe with the record is the relative brevity of the songs. The eight track of the album last only about twenty-six and a half minutes, with the longest track (“The Owl”) lasting 3:51. Most of the songs begin by launching the listener directly into the song, which works superbly on “Driving Song” and “Tijuana”, but the more subtle build-ups in “The Father” and “The Owl” are layered perfectly, creating a dreamy, powerful atmosphere. While the head-on approach works well for the band, the slower songs are more engrossing listens overall and, personally, my favorite songs from the album.
8.0
Standout Tracks: “The Father”, “Driving Song”, and “The Owl”
Review: Heinali and Matt Finney – Conjoined EP
Heinali and Matt Finney – Conjoined EP
Released: November 20, 2010
Label: Self-released
2010 certainly has been a productive year for ambient post-rock and spoken word duo Heinali and Matt Finney. The Ukrainian composer – Alabaman spoken word poet combination is powerful and intriguing, always powerful and chill-inducing. Where Lemonade tried to be slightly catchier, Heinali and Matt Finney’s third EP release Conjoined, is ever more engrossing and ominous, packing 32 minutes of deep poetic contemplation and orchestration into a single EP.
Heinali’s composition has changed ever so slightly with each additional release, but it’s always for the better. This time around, the ambient-infused post rock style composition is darker than before, with droning synths and methodically-pounding drum lines. Many of the tracks on Conjoined feature menacing, heavy guitar wails with metal roots.
Conjoined is the most developed of the three Heinali and Matt Finney collaborations yet. The production and composition is at its best, complementing greatly with the ominous, angst-driven lyrics of Matt Finney. One of the main strengths of the duo is that the two feed off of one another, creating a final sound that is, if you’ll excuse the aphorism, “better than the sum of their parts.” This time around, the two have blended their styles more noticeably than on past releases, with Matt’s growls sinking into the rises and falls of the Heinali backing composition.
On title track “Conjoined” however, it is actually a bit hard to tell exactly what Matt Finney is muttering. The emotion is there, and it certainly always was, but the words are less clear and harder to make out. “Conjoined” makes up for the lack of clear vocals with some of the best composition on the record.
With that in mind, its important to note that the solo Heinali closer “The Sun Will Rise Yet We Won’t Be Here” feels uplifting and happy in a subtle manner, providing a nice change of sound from the pounding of the rest of the EP. The closer is a beautiful, uplifting piece that will certainly merit repeat listens and is the perfect way to close out the record – eight minutes and twenty four seconds of spiritual ambience.
Conjoined is an aptly chosen title for Heinali and Matt Finney’s third release. As the duo produce more and more music, they are certainly developing more noticeably as a group, evolving to create a fuller, more striking sound. It’ll certainly be interesting to see what direction the two will decide to take with their next EP, expected for a 2011 release.
7.4
Standout Tracks: “Conjoined” and “The Sun Will Rise Yet We Won’t Be Here”
Review: We Are the Ocean – Cutting Our Teeth
We Are the Ocean – Cutting Our Teeth
Released: February 1st, 2010
Label: Hassle Records
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
I was first introduced to We Are the Ocean when they supported the Thrice UK tour. I was won over by their larger-than-life performance and immediately dubbed them ‘The British Alexisonfire‘. The vocals were excellent, the songs energetic and contagious and the personalities of the band members really came across on stage. The ‘British Alexisonfire‘ tag gives you an indication of the style of music on offer: quick paced post-hardcore with screamed verses and cleanly sung choruses.
Unfortunately though, We Are the Ocean suffer the same issue that others before them have fallen prey to: the energy in their live performance doesn’t translate onto record. Two of the highlights from the live show were the screamed vocals and the uplifting songs, which helped catch my attention. Live, the screamed vocals were passionate and intense, however on record they become monotonous and predictable, which does little to prevent the songs bleeding together as one. The uplifting songs loose their elevation and end up sounding flat, which is exacerbated by the predictable songwriting pattern that stays pretty much constant throughout the ten tracks.
With that said, there are strong points on this album that really deserve praise. The band’s greatest asset by far is vocalist/guitarist Liam who provides the clean vocals. His voice is reminiscent of Dallas Green from Alexisonfire, both in terms of tone and flawless live execution. Each song on the album contains a very strong chorus, punctuated by Liam’s excellent vocal delivery, which provides several memorable moments on the album.
There may be elements that hold the album back, but it’s fair to say there are no bad songs on offer. Each song provides sufficient enjoyable moments to keep me interested throughout the album. Yes, the songwriting formula has been heard several times before, and the music may be lacking in originality, but there is clear potential here for something very special if only the band could harness the obvious talent that they have and remove the ‘Alexisonfire‘ copy cat moniker.
I do feel harsh criticizing a band for being unoriginal as it feels like an unfair demand to expect innovation from such a young band who are just trying to create some music. I accept that notion and to a degree I welcome it, but the genre is already waterlogged with bands producing this kind of music from concentrate; it’s going to take a band with the ability to create the next flavor that will achieve longevity in my album collection.
Despite these misgivings, it is very positive to see UK talent emerging and this debut album provides plenty of reasons to be positive for the band’s future. With a more varied song-writing approach and some thought behind harnessing the energy of their stage show, the follow up release could be an excellent one. I would recommend catching them on tour, as they do really come alive on stage, but sadly on this record they just don’t do enough to distinguish themselves from the hundreds of other bands playing this style of music.
6.3
Standout Tracks: “Look Alive”, “These Days I Have Nothing”
Review: Isles & Glaciers – The Hearts of Lonely People
Isles & Glaciers – The Hearts of Lonely People
Released: March 9th, 2010
Label: Equal Vision Records
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
Recently, I had an interesting job offer that involved going overseas. It was an exciting prospect and every ingredient was right: a lovely country, an excellent salary offer, interesting work and a hassle free move. Except, when I arrived at the place, all of these seemingly perfect elements just didn’t combine to create the dream move that I was hoping for.
Isles & Glaciers is an ‘all-star’ band made up of the genre’s leading players, making this EP a mouth watering prospect. You could say that if post hardcore was a sport, Isles & Glaciers would be this year’s national team. Musically, the band is overflowing with talent, with drumming duty provided by Mike Fuentes (Pierce the Veil), bass by Matt Goddard (Chiodos), guitars by Nick Martin (Underminded) and Brian Southall (The Receiving End of Sirens), plus a good helping of sampling also provided by Brian. There is no abating vocally either; Isles & Glaciers features three of the most distinctive vocalists in the genre: Jonny Craig (Emarosa), Vic Fuentes (Pierce the Veil) and Craig Owens (formerly of Chiodos).
All of these elements combined seemed, on paper, to be something I would instantly fall in love with. However, as with my trip, once I paid the EP a visit, I was left under-whelmed and disappointed by the time it reached the end. The EP moves along at a swift rate, with basic guitar parts accentuated by fast-paced drumming, tinged with electronic effects. The vocal duties are distributed evenly between the three singers who each take it in turns to perform a couple of lines before turning the spotlight over to another, in a continuous cycle.
Thus we arrive at my main gripe. Putting aside my personal distaste for Craig Owens’ vocals, I find it mystifying that three such highly regarded singers partake in this vocal relay throughout the EP, continually passing the baton to the next person without ever attempting to create harmonies with each other instead. It’s not until stand-out track ‘Viola Lion’ that an attempt is made to introduce some harmony; harmony that the previous five tracks had been screaming out for.
In the past, bands such as The Receiving End of Sirens, Alexisonfire and Conditions have given us excellent examples of how three diverse vocals can harmonize together to create superb melody and whilst I was fully expecting this EP to be another glowing example, it is tragically lacking any such accolade. Instead, it feels as though the vocalists wrote and performed their sections in complete isolation from each other, and whilst that may have been practical for the performers, it is a tragic waste of ability and opportunity for the listeners.
What compounds the problem is that the band have clearly identified the vocalists to be the key selling point of this record, so when the vocals fail to inspire, there is very little in terms of musical quality to rescue things. The music is simply a back-drop to allow the headline names to show what they can do. We are left with overly used electronic effects (which at times makes the acoustic drumming inaudible), unmemorable guitar parts and very little attempt at creating interesting songs.
The most frustrating part of all is that ‘Viola Lion’ is a fantastic track and demonstrates just how good this EP could have been if the band had collectively contributed to creating something with depth and coherence. As it is though, the musicians of the band have been relegated to the background in the hope that a few big name singers can carry off a series of songs without really needing to think too hard about the composition. Without the advantage of these ‘brand names’ to give the band an image, this EP would not last long as there simply isn’t enough quality in the songs to carry it.
In the end, I declined the job opportunity. Although there were many carrots dangled in front of me, they were never going to amount to a meal. There were a number of individual incentives that were persuasive but in the end, it was the very foundation of the deal that proved to be the downfall: I didn’t like the city itself. The Hearts of Lonely People has been constructed using the incentive of many extremely talented and capable individuals, but the foundation upon which every successful record is built is the quality of the songs and sadly, this EP falls short. Synergies do not arise by throwing together multiple individually attractive elements and hoping that something magical happens. My recent personal adventure, and this EP, are clear examples of this.
5.5
Standout Track: “Viola Lion”
Review: The Bled – Heat Fetish
The Bled – Heat Fetish
Released: March 2nd, 2010
Label: Rise Records
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
The past year has been tumultuous for The Bled. They were on the brink of calling it a day due to the economic recession putting an ever increasing strain on the financial stability of the band. As a result, all but two members from the unit that brought us Silent Treatment in 2007 remained.
Fortunately, the two remaining members were guitarist and chief songwriter Jeremy, and unmistakable frontman/vocalist James. As such, The Bled have not lost their signature sound and with the inclusion of a whole new line-up, I’d argue that Heat Fetish brings a whole new level of energy and urgency to the band that has not been heard since the debut Pass the Flask.
One of my main concerns was how the band would deal with the departure of drummer Mike Pedicone, whose skills behind the kit throughout The Bled’s discography have been superb. That fear diminished right after the opening track. I’m not sure where they find these drummers, but new sticksman Josh Skibar not only comfortably fills Pedicone’s shoes but also brings his own frantic style to proceedings, which helps make this album an extremely impressive achievement.
Musically, Heat Fetish delivers the staple sound that we’ve come to know and love with The Bled: heavy, down-tuned and aggressive songs with screamed vocals, breakdowns and spasmodic rhythms that traverse through various timings. If you turn your nose up at any of the above, then go no further with this band as it isn’t for you. If however, that sounds like your cup of tea, then trust me you will want to put the kettle on and make yourself a huge pot of it.
As ever, I find myself yet again in awe of James Munoz. There are very few vocalists in this genre that can hold a candle to him and each time I feel that he can’t progress any further with his voice, I’m proven wrong once more. One of my biggest gripes with the hardcore genre is the inability of screamed vocalists to emit any range from their vocals. Most screamers have a guttural shout, or a higher pitched yell, that they stick to throughout their songs, making every song sound repetitive and all too familiar. James has an uncanny ability to surprise you with his vocals, moving from low to high, to shout to clean in any given song. This is what makes The Bled’s music a treat to listen to from one album to the next: you just never know what to expect.
The band tried to mix up their heavy elements with a more melodic edge on sophomore album Found in the Flood but with very mixed results. Scattered throughout this album are fine examples of how the band have developed this side of their music without compromising on the quality. “Meet Me in the Bone Orchard” is a prime example, where they have successfully integrated face-tearing aggression with haunting melody that helps to make Heat Fetish stand-alone as a complete package.
I’ve grown to appreciate every album The Bled have put out, but I’ve not always felt like they’ve achieved a faultless album since the release of their debut Pass the Flask. Something has always stood in the way; be it the production, or the missed attempts at being creative. The last couple of albums have been good, but too precise and polished to feel natural.
8.4
Standout Tracks: “Meet Me in the Bone Orchard”, “Crowbait”, “Smoke Breaks”
Review: Heinali and Matt Finney – Lemonade EP
Heinali and Matt Finney – Lemonade EP
Released: June 15, 2010
Label: Self-released
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
Ukrainian composer Heinali and American spoken-word poet Matt Finney may live on opposite ends of the world, but it is virtually impossible to tell. When the two combine on their second collaboration Lemonade, the miles and miles separating the two artists is undetectable, resulting in one of the darkest and most depressing records of the year.
The nine track EP couples dark, droning ambience by composer Heinali with ominous, angsty lines from Matt Finney, ultimately creating a troubling, yet intriguing piece of art. From the very start of the album, Heinali and Matt Finney engulf the listener and never let go, taking them on a whirlwind emotional journey into the lives of both musicians. Matt’s voice, low and raspy (think Christian Bale’s Batman mixed with Brand New’s Jesse Lacey), blends perfectly with the tug and pull of Heinali’s backing instrumentals.
Lemonade, as a whole, seems more fit for a movie soundtrack than a standalone record. Ultimately, the intertwining sounds of Lemonade are intriguing but are all too similar to work effectively together, resulting in a rather cinematic effect. For the most part, Lemonade is a holistic affair, with the overall vibe of the record generally more appealing than that of each individual part.
One of the best examples is sixth track “The Dream”, which seems to stick out because it is stylistically different from the rest, with Heinali focusing on a somber piano line and some somewhat uplifting orchestral sounds. Over top, Matt Finney croaks, “The ones I claimed to be heroes ended up being drunks or addicts/ Ended up putting guns in their mouths or tying ropes around their necks so I built walls instead.” Powerful? Indeed.
For some reason, the eccentric composition of Heinali and the melancholic lines from Matt Finney just seems to click. The last three tracks of the EP feature solo performances and highlight the fact that the two artists are definitely better when working together. It is the combination of the two – a rather unexpected, but gladly welcomed combination to say the least – that results in the true brilliance of Lemonade.
Download Lemonade on their Bandcamp at a pay-what-you-want rate.
6.5
Standout Tracks: “Lemonade” and “The Dream”
Review: Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Released: October 9, 2010
Label: Motown, G.O.O.D. Music
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
It isn’t everyday that you’re invited into the world of a superstar. It isn’t everyday that an artist unabashedly opens up about their recent struggles, especially those that are attempting to cope with fame and superstardom. And most of the time, even if said artist does choose to open up, it isn’t everyday that we can relate. Those that somehow bridge the gap between superstardom and ordinary life are the ones that succeed. In light of Scott Mescudi’s (aka Kid Cudi) recent personal struggles, such a feat seems utterly impossible. Keep in mind that this is the same man who on his debut CD bragged about his “ignorance to coke”, and then in an abrupt turn of events, was arrested for possession of cocaine.
It’s obvious to assume that MOTM II: The Legend of Mr. Rager would be Cudi’s darkest work yet. MOTM I: The End of Day, an album that was supposedly focused on his dreams, was highly introspective, focusing on Cudi’s growing loneliness and inability to really fit in with his peers. The same ideas are as visible as ever onThe Legend of Mr. Rager, but must be observed in a different perspective. Mescudi is no longer the same young, struggling hero depicted in The End of Day, but he’s as lonely as ever and this time, he is the fallen hero: dejected, but with a fiery passion to climb back to the top.
Album opener “Scott Mescudi Vs. The World” begins with Cudi’s ominous, yet welcoming greeting: “Hello, how is everyone doing?” The opening track, benefiting greatly from the Cee-Lo Green hook, offers a peek into Cudi’s life, with Cee-Lo belting, “This is a journey into the horizon; hope you can see that, if its real to you, we can meet on the other side.” On “REVOFEV”, Mescudi presents a gloomy, yet ultimately friendly “revolution”, with the portentous strings and guitar looming in the background.
On tracks “Marijuana” and “Ashin’ Kusher”, Kid Cudi deftly explores his compulsive drug issues, jauntily proclaiming that he needs to balance all the craziness that is happening inside his head. The honesty that has been apparent since A Kid Named Cudi manifests itself again, showing exactly why Cudi has been so successful in such a short period of time: his blatant honesty allows him to connect with his listeners. “The darkness, yeah, I’d like to marry it,” raps Cudi on standout track “Maniac”, where guest feature Cage joins in and plays a psychotic, maniacal fool. Cudi’s high-pitched confession “I am a maniac” eerily looms in the midst of a psychedelic guitar blare and a St. Vincent sample.
“When will the fantasy end? When will the heaven begin?” Cudi desperately questions himself and his self-created Mr. Rager character. With everything that has gone wrong in Cudi’s life, these questions are genuinely sincere and embody Cudi’s thoughts and worries. Even as Mary J. Blige assures, “Don’t you worry,” it seems all hope is lost for the downcast Scott Mescudi, who ultimately comes to the sad conclusion that “All along, I guess I’m meant to be alone” on the stylistically different, but ultimately brilliant “All Alone”.
MOTM II: The Legend of Mr. Rager provides an engrossing and brilliant glimpse into the struggles of Scott Mescudi, showing that the young star is indeed “on the moon.” While it is true that Cudi seemingly mumbles through some of his verses, his message shines through loud and clear. While the low-key and gloomy atmosphere may put off fans of Cudi’s more catchy works, the menacing, introspective manner of MOTM IIserves its purpose perfectly.
9.0
Standout Tracks: “Maniac (feat. Cage & St. Vincent)”, “Mr. Rager” and “All Alone”
Review: Marianas Trench – Masterpiece Theatre
Marianas Trench – Masterpiece Theatre
Release Date: February 24, 2009 (Canada), September 28, 2010 (US)
Label: 604 Records
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
When I think of the word “masterpiece”, I think of unforgettable albums like Abbey Road and Pet Sounds or great movies such as Pulp Fiction and 2001: A Space Odyssey. These “masterpieces” flow perfectly from song to song or scene to scene. They leave you thinking and make you watch/listen for years, maybe even for decades. Before listening to Marianas Trench’s sophomore album Masterpiece Theatre, you might think that frontman Josh Ramsay is being a little overconfident about himself, choosing to label his own album as a “masterpiece.” He says himself though, “but it’s tongue-in-cheek. And I’m not the kind of person that people would assume as being an egomaniac. I hope not, anyway.” Calling your own album a “masterpiece” aside,Masterpiece Theatre by Marianas Trench is an impressive pop-rock album.
The entire album revolves around 3 songs: “Masterpiece Theatre I”, “Masterpiece Theatre II”, and “Masterpiece Theatre III”. All of these are standout tracks and are much different from the rest of the album. In between each of these tracks are memorable, foot tapping pop songs that you can never stop singing along to.
Almost every song on the album could be a successful radio hit single. From the beginning, you can hear how great Josh Ramsay’s voice really is. After “Masterpiece Theatre I” begins “All to Myself”, which gives you a taste of what the whole entire album is like. A majority of the songs on Masterpiece Theatre kick in immediately, with an intense guitar riff and verse as an intro. Then comes the chorus, followed by another verse, followed by a chorus transitioning into a breakdown, and then ending with a chorus. You’ll probably notice that this is almost the same structure as “Baby” by Justin Bieber, but I digress. One thing is certain though: all these songs have catchy choruses, which would make any teenage girl (or boy) start dancing and sing along. Some songs, however, such as “Beside You” and “Lover Dearest”, have a softer sound. The guitar riffs are replaced by acoustic guitar finger picking.
The three songs that make up Masterpiece Theatre are quite different from the rest of the album, but are similar to each other. “Masterpiece Theatre I” begins the album with the sound of an orchestra tuning their wind instruments. This stages the beginning of the entire album, preparing the listener for a series of epic songs. “Masterpiece Theatre I” starts off lightly, but then gets much more intense. “Masterpiece Theatre III” is probably the defining song of Masterpiece Theatre. It samples each song from the entire album. At first listen, you won’t even notice it. All of the songs are not played exactly the same way, but seem to fit together perfectly. “Masterpiece Theatre III” is a great song by itself. There could not have been a better way to end an album. It gives a taste of each song, and summarizes the entire album, proving the talent of frontman Josh Ramsay.
The whole entire structure of the album seems to be perfectly done. From “Masterpiece Theatre I” to “Masterpiece Theatre III”, every song flows together appropriately. Nevertheless, every album has its flaws. The one song I skip on occasion is “Good To You”. It’s a dreary piano ballad that just doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the album. The odd placement of “Masterpiece Theatre II” makes sense, but the track is obviously very different from the songs that surround it. However, I would not call this a defect. “Masterpiece Theatre II” gives the listener a break from the catchy pop songs, letting them catch a breath. It is also an impressive song in its own right.
With a first look at Marianas Trench and their music, you may think that they’re just like any other pop rock boy-band you’ve seen before. This is ultimately quite true: their music is most definitely aimed at teenage girls. However, the three Masterpiece Theatre’s are more than that. Josh Ramsay seems to be able to reach any key when singing and knows how to write good pop songs that are not so generic. He knows what he is doing. Marianas Trench’s Masterpiece Theatre may not be a “masterpiece” in the actual sense of the word, but it does have the appropriate attributes to be one: good flow from song to song and a great lasting value.
8.0
Standout Tracks: “Masterpiece Theatre III”, “Sing Sing”, “Perfect”
Review: Bad Books – Bad Books
Bad Books – Bad Books
Released: October 19, 2010
Label: Favorite Gentlemen
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
Bad books are bad. Bad trolls are bad. Bad Books is good, but just not good enough. Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra, both rising to prominence in the indie rock scene, combined with the blessing of Brand New’s frontman Jesse Lacey, compose Bad Books. The highly anticipated brilliance of this combination (the idea certainly is very appealing on paper) ultimately fails to manifest itself on Bad Books’s self-titled release. A supergroup in a rather superficial sense of the word, Bad Books is more of a Kevin Devine–Manchester Orchestra split EP than an amalgamation of the two.
Opener “How This All Ends” is a perfect example of this idea. As a Manchester Orchestra track, the opener is solid, bringing the emotional intensity and pop-infused hook that the band has been lauded for. But where is Kevin Devine? What makes this a Bad Books song and not a Manchester Orchestra song? For the most part, this is the main fault of the record; very little of the album demonstrates that it is in fact a collaborative side project rather than a split EP.
This doesn’t hold true for all of the record, luckily. First single “You Wouldn’t Have To Ask”, although a mere 1 minutes and 52 seconds, superbly blends the voices of Kevin Devine and Andy Hull with forceful and lively instrumentals from the Manchester Orchestra crew. The hook is unabashedly catchy, providing a rather ephemeral glimpse at just how good a true Bad Books album could be. This single, sadly, is misrepresentative of the entire record, with the record lulling back into the rather dull (but still impassioned!) acoustic Andy Hull track “I Begged You Everything”.
Although the record is an overall enjoyable listen, the album fails to entice like a Manchester Orchestra record or a Kevin Devine solo album. This, ultimately, is a huge disappointment, as the talents of the two sides of the “supergroup” seem to have been put to waste, creating a rather mediocre album. When the band does shine however (make sure you listen to “You Wouldn’t Have To Ask”), the results are incredible, but the record fails to impress as a whole, bringing passable melodies that fail to manifest into something that is ultimately different.
Download “You Wouldn’t Have To Ask” from the group’s label Favorite Gentlemen here.
6.8
Standout Tracks: “You Wouldn’t Have To Ask” and “Baby Shoes”
Review: You, Me, and Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out
You, Me, and Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out
Released: October 12, 2010
Label: Doghouse
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
You, Me, and Everyone We Know make their debut on Doghouse Records, following their two self-released EPs Party For The Grown and Sexy and So Young, So Insane. From the start of the album, opening with the anthemic “Shock and Awe”, it is apparent that the band is back and better than ever, bringing the catchy and entertaining music that make up their forte. For the most part, this has always been You, Me, and Everyone We Know’s main strength, and as seen on the band’s first two efforts, they have always been able to take advantage of it.
Some Things Don’t Wash Out is no different. This time around, frontman Ben Liebsch is out to prove himself, laying out his life and stories for the listener to indulge in. At times, the message is entirely too personal and hard to identify with, with music-industry directed shoutouts and namedrops: Cody Payne from The Dangerous Summer receives a quite unfavorable f**k you in “Shock and Awe”. Even though most of us can’t necessarily relate, the overall feeling of youthful rebellion and overcoming obstacles is more than enough for us to grip on to.
No matter how lethargic of a listener you may be, the authentic catchiness of the record will have you bobbing your head and singing along. Each time I give this album a spin, I find myself wanting to sing along with Liebsch. The new rework for “Livin’ Th’ Dream”, much more polished than before, features shouts of “Yes we can!” that can be inspiring to anyone.
No song sounds the same on the entire record, but the record still works together like a well-oiled machine. The band successfully ventures into a number of different genres, from the funk-influenced “James Brown Is Dead” to the smooth ballad “Moon, Roll Me Away”. “The Next 20 Minutes” even includes a fanfare of trumpets and concludes with a trumpet solo. Fans of the band’s old sound need not be disappointed however. Tracks like “Some Things Don’t Wash Out” and “A Bigger Point of Pride” could easily fit on the band’s first two EPs, capturing the creativity of the band’s past and infusing it with the now more-experienced and more mature sound of the band.
As fans of the band have already discovered, YMAEWK never lacks in the lyrics department. Cheeky lines juxtaposed with sound advice such as “keep your chin up on the behalf / of every beautiful rejection / with their own ugly reflection / to anyone who’s ever never felt the same / pick yourself up by the bootstraps” demonstrate the new mentality of the band and are the perfect pick-me-ups for anyone that may be in a rough moment in their life.
The longest songs on the album only reach 3:39, with the entire 11-track album only clocking in at a little over 33 minutes. At times, the organization seems a little bit clumsy, with the longer songs on the album clumped together in the middle of the album. After the enthusiastically fast-paced opening with tracks “Shock and Awe” and “I’m Losing Weight For You”, the transition into longer tracks feels slightly out-of-place but is still a minor lapse.
Some Things Don’t Wash Out is a great transition for the band onto a wider stage, moving from the successful EPs to creating a successful studio album. As many know, pop-punk is a dying genre, but with YMAEWK’s new effort, the genre proves that it is not yet dead. Some Things Don’t Wash Out is a solid, carefree pop album that holds up after successive listens and succeeds in its main goal: entertaining the listener. While the band is not necessarily bringing anything new to the table, YMAEWK is, with no doubt, calling attention to themselves with their new record. And hopefully, the band eventually ends up being “some thing that doesn’t wash out.”
8.4
Standout Tracks: “Shock and Awe”, “A Bigger Point of Pride”, “James Brown Is Dead”, “The Puzzle”
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