Manchester Orchestra Record Store Day Collaboration
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Review: Sister City – Carbon Footprint
Sister City – Carbon Footprint
Released: June 14, 2011
Label: Unsigned
Purchase: Bandcamp
Having never heard of Sister City, formed only in 2007, I had no idea what to expect upon downloading their new album Carbon Footprint. I saw the genre “indie punk” thrown around quite a bit, but such a description is too vague to actually say much.
Opener “Hit Too Hard” finally put a sound to the name. Even though it didn’t quite answer the question of what “indie punk” means, it did provide a ballpark sound to work with. Initially, Sister City sounds like an opening band, reminiscent of The Loved Ones or The Measure, taking cues from bigger bands, but still lacking the chops to be headliners themselves. There is a familiar, almost generic feel to the music, but under the surface, there is a passion and effort driving the band, which is demonstrated all throughout the album.
The passion is most easily heard through frontman Adam Linder’s lyrics. Like early Rise Against, he’s usually making a point about the state of the human condition, but instead of actually calling for action like Tim McIlrath, he limits himself to biting observations with a cynicism very much in the vein of Say Anything’s Max Bemis. “The things I want are simple things, like love and trust and sanity” Linder notes on “IMPERATIVE.” Closer “How Much” brings his unease to a climax, “For a couplet I sold what was left of my integrity and I don’t have any goals / but I do have an apartment in a city full of people, and a subtle, sinking feeling we’re all equals.”
Lines like these permeate every song, but unfortunately, few of them actually stick, largely because there’s a distance to them, an apathy that doesn’t inspire the listener to do something about it. Linder’s vocals don’t help much either. They’re neither bad nor particularly good – they just tend to add to the generic overall sound.
While the music in general sounds largely familiar, Sister City does distinguish itself from the pack to some extent with their poignant use of rests. They immediately set to this trend in the stop-start “Hit Too Hard” and continue through with such usages as the pre-chorus holds of “Some Prefer Nettles,” the one beat rests on the repeated chorus of “IMPERATIVE.” The rests are very calculated to add impact to the lyrics, and nearly always work well. It’s just a small touch, but it does make their music more distinct.
There is a certain level of maturity in their musicianship as well. Many of their songs have different phases to them- they don’t usually end up in the same musical place where they were at the beginning, but they’re still within the general sound, so the song isn’t too disjointed. For the most part, this too works fairly consistently, such as with the double-time outro topping off the already engaging “Ellis Island Blues.” The biggest offender with this patchwork style is “Eff That” which suffers from too much schizophrenia. The smooth verses don’t blend well with the No Use For A Name-sounding chorus, and the bridge is much too forced, making it one of the only songs that would be considered weak overall.
While much of their music is familiar, familiarity isn’t always a negative thing either. Sister City wear their influences on their sleeves, and fans of the general scene won’t be disappointed. Much of their music sounds like a lighter version of Against Me!, and they wear this influence proudly, even naming a song “Reinventing Adm Linder.” Ironically, this song is eerily similar to “Hey There Delilah.” Plain White T’s comparison notwithstanding, it’s actually one of the album’s lyrically strongest and catchiest songs overall.
Swaying away from Against Me!, Sister City turn to NOFX with “IMPERATIVE,” driven by a bouncing bass that sounds like it’s straight out of “Timmy the Turtle.” Pulling out all of the stops, “How Much” channelsManchester Orchestra with a slow buildup to a climactic finale. These songs are generally good for what they’re worth, but at the same time, they feel like the diet version of some of your favorite bands.
Overall, even after a few spins, I still find that Sister City is a very difficult band to describe. After some thought, I have concluded that one of the most apt metaphors is that Sister City is a cloud. The band can’t be clearly defined or put into one particular musical box. Their influences are numerous, yet they still have a single cohesive, recognizable sound. Finally, there is definitely substance to their music and lyrics, but when you reach out to touch it, you may not end up feeling much in the end.
7.4
Standout tracks: “Ellis Island Blues” and “Reinventing Adm Linder”
Review: Balance and Composure – Separation
Balance and Composure – Separation
Released: May 10, 2011
Label: No Sleep Records
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
Fans of Balance and Composure have been eagerly awaiting a full length release for quite some time now. After releasing two mature EPs and arguably the better side of a split with Tigers Jaw over the last three years, Balance and Composure finally appeased fans with news of Separation, comprised of twelve tracks.
Upon first listen, however, it’s quite possible avid followers of Balance and Composure will be disappointed. Moving towards a more streamlined sound definitely contributed to a loss of “oomph” and raw emotion from the band’s music. However, this more concentrated approach does give Separation a sense of cohesiveness and focus, attributes vital to a successful album.
Separation excels most on songs where Balance and Composure’s 90’s influences are the most apparent. “Stonehands” delivers in this aspect, showcasing both emo and grunge influences, though vocalist Jon Simmons tends to sing a bit nasally especially on words with “long e” vowels. A better culmination of 90’s style and Simmons’ vocal performance is the title track. On the chorus, Simmons utilizes his perfected “sing scream”, a gritty yell, but with definitive pitch. It’s a technique Jesse Lacey of Brand New and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra also use, though Simmons’ style feels more passionate.
As a whole, though, Separation seems like more of a turn towards alternative rock. While Balance and Composure do perform this genre with ease and more than competently (take the southern rock vibe of “Galena” or grit and angst of “I Tore You Apart In My Head” for instance), at times the record leans toward typicality, most notably on “Void”, an unfortunate pick for an album opener.
The loss of emotional immediacy might be due in part to the album’s generally flat production. Producer Brian McTernan’s past work has been inconsistent, dipping especially on Emarosa‘s latest self-titled release. WhileSeparation is definitely an improvement for McTernan, the drums sound tinny and lack tone and it’s nearly impossible to tell the band has three guitarists. The production just doesn’t feel as dynamic or raw as a band like Balance and Composure, one who thrives on straddling the crossroads of technicality and passion, needs to fully excel.
However, after multiple listens, Balance and Composure’s passion permeates McTernan’s iffy producing job. Tracks like album standout “Patience” exude intense feeling in the music. Balance and Composure mean every lyric, every guitar strum, every bass line, and every snare hit. Though perhaps Separation only fully demonstrates this with the listener’s patience (yes, I went there), the album isn’t a regression from past work. Balance and Composure is still miles ahead of most other bands operating in their genre. The reason?
Authenticity.
7.7
Standout Tracks: “Patience”, “Galena”, and “I Tore You Apart In My Head”
Listen: Manchester Orchestra’s ‘Simple Math’
Manchester Orchestra‘s highly anticipated new album, Simple Math, is set to be released today, May 10 via Favorite Gentlemen/Sony Music Entertainment. The record is, according to frontman Andy Hull, a concept album: “It’s a story about a 23-year old who questions everything from marriage to love to religion to sex. Sometimes even for myself, it’s difficult to decipher which one I’m actually talking to. Everything I’ve written in the past has been about those things. This album is the most realized form of my questioning.” If you have yet to listen to the album, you can stream the album in its entirety below.
Manchester Orchestra Premiere “April Fools” On April Fools Day
Manchester Orchestra premiered a new song on April Fools Day that is appropriately titled “April Fools”. The new track, which is from their forthcoming third studio album Simple Math, can be heard on the Red Bull website. On April 5th, you will be able to pre-order the new album on iTunes.
Simple Math will be available everywhere on May 10, 2011 via Columbia Records/Favorite Gentlemen Recordings. Check out the band’s tour dates below.
Manchester Orchestra 2011 Tour Dates:
April 29, 2011 — Memphis, TN — Tom Lee Park #
April 30, 2011 — Due West, SC — Erksine College #
May 2, 2011 — Kansas City, MO — The Beaumont Club ##
May 3, 2011 — St. Louis, MO — The Pageant ##
May 4, 2011 — Chicago, IL — Metro ##
May 6, 2011 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Ballroom ##
May 7, 2011 — Rochester, NY — Water Street Music Hall ##
May 8, 2011 — Baltimore, MD — Rams Head Live*
May 10, 2011 — Boston, MA — House Of Blues *
May 11, 2011 — New York, NY — Terminal 5 *
May 13, 2011 — Providence, RI — Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel ###
May 14, 2011 — Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of the Living Arts ###
May 16, 2011 — Toronto, ON — The Mod Club ###
May 17, 2011 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore *
May 18, 2011 — Columbus, OH — The LC Pavilion *
May 20, 2011 — Columbia, SC — Jillian’s *
May 23, 2011 — Orlando, FL — House Of Blues *
May 24, 2011 — Tampa, FL — The Ritz *
May 25, 2011 — Atlanta, GA — The Tabernacle *
May 27, 2011 — Houston, TX — Verizon Wireless Theatre **
May 28, 2011 — Austin, TX — Stubbs **
May 29, 2011 — Dallas, TX — The Palladium **
May 31, 2011 — Phoenix, AZ — The Marquee **
June 1, 2011 — San Diego, CA — Soma **
June 2, 2011 — Los Angeles, CA — The Music Box #
June 7, 2011 — Eugene, OR — McDonald Theatre **
June 8, 2011 — Portland, OR — Crystal Ballroom **
June 9, 2011 — Seattle, WA — The Showbox SODO **
June 11, 2011 — Salt Lake City, UT — Club Sound #
June 12, 2011 — Denver, CO — Summit Music Hall#
* with Cage The Elephant, O’Brother, and TBA opener(s)
** with Cage The Elephant, Sleeper Agent, and TBA opener(s)
# with TBA opener(s)
## with An Horse and Harrison Hudson
### with An Horse, Harrison Hudson, and O’Brother