"Virgin Sails" is the latest three-track EP from Connecticut act My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone (on Triumph of Life Records), and my first exposure to the band's work. There's a predominantly emo/indie rock vibe going on, but the aggression level does lean more towards the "screamo" side of things—just without any of the negative connotations that can sometimes follow that particular tag. There's a good mix of more-distorted-than-average chord progressions and almost frantic percussive bursts alongside loosely delivered melodies and occasional clean breaks, while the vocals are more of a shouting/yelling style (with some singing) than screaming. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they fall into that category of bands that plays a little wilder and looser and kicks things up a little more in terms of overall intensity, but they're not chaotic or grating (at least not on this EP, some of their earlier work sounds a touch harsher, but still very strong). The songs are well written and focused, and it's an enjoyable listen that piques your interest in where they'll go next.
My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone "The Hours Change So We Don't Have To"
I'm not sure I fully understand why (though I certainly appreciate it), but this one's available as a free download or an actual 7" release. A mere eight-and-a-half minutes of material damn sure leaves you wanting more, but thankfully you can download some (All?) of the band's prior work to check out as well! If you prefer vinyl/physical copies, make the grab from the band or label below for about $4. Otherwise, hit up the band's MySpace page for complete downloads...
Comments
I often wonder what technically is ‘screamo’. I mean, I have fallen into the usage of it at times as an easy signifier, so I can glean what most people think, but is all Screamo Emo? Is Heroin screamo? Or are they emo? To me they were neither, but they get called both quite often. They were a hardcore punk band. Indian Summer was an emo band…
I dont know, its a funny thing this genre naming business and the strange connotations that arise from certain things. In this case, screamo, a lot of negative things come out. Is this because of bands like Underoath and Saosin or whatever? Just wondering. I really don’t know. Its all hardcore to me.
This song sounds pretty good. It has that emotional minor chord thing going on that makes it feel more pained and emotional…
7.22.2008 | By blend77
Yeah, I know what you mean. I have issues with all kinds of things of this nature, but at the end of the day, the terms do help in some ways. It’s weird, too, ‘cause, like, I’d never have thought of Underoath or Saosin as “screamo”. I think for me, I still think of the “negative connotations” of the old days, ha. There were the bands that had searing, screaming vocals over the jarring kind of emo/indie sound (good), and then there were the bands that played similar but very sloppy music and had the “roll around on the floor in your underwear crying and screaming” vocalists and shit (bad, very bad)... the latter is what has scarred my memory regarding “screamo” as a descriptor, ha, ha.
And don’t even get me started on the people who talk about “metalcore” as though it were born in the age of Killswitch Engage!
7.22.2008 | By Andrew Aversionline
I really don’t like putting labels on music but for me “screamo” ain’t bad. If somebody ask me about screamo right now I would say that that is something with “screaming” vocals (no shit haha) and more chaotic structure.
In the past I found emo music “weaker” than screamo. If somebody ask me about the “crying” music I would say emo not screamo. And at least in Europe a lot of people joke about emo “movement” (i have black hair and melancholic view towards the world (not doomster of course, ha). And there was even some emo guy in Sopranos which is completely golden hahahahaha.
7.22.2008 | By Carlos
First of, this is a threat I have a feeling is going to turn into an screamo/ emo-discussion ..
I myself am really into the screamo and the emo-movement, even though the movement isn’t that big here in Norway.. That being said, I mean “real screamo and emo” , as far as that goes.. I think that the discussion going on about those movements is more about how the major recordlabels have turned an image into profit, and labeling the music in some way.. For me, My Chemical Romance ain’t emo.. But I really don’t know what to call it either! For me, emo is the late 80’s stuff (Embrace, Rites of Spring) as well as mid-90’s bands that made a difference on a more aesthetic level.. Bands like Policy of Three, Indian Summer and so on and so forth.. I think it was labeled screamo after a couple of years, due to the fact that you couldn’t place, say, Saetia and Jimmy Eat World in the same box, even though both bands have extremely emotional undertones, but they were so far from eachother musically..
If I had to give those new “emo” bands a label, I’d personally give them something closer to “neo-emocore” or “post-emocore” or something.. I hate labeling stuff, but how else can you talk to people that doesn’t like the same music ? How can you describe music, if not by putting stuff into little, labeled boxes? It’s always hard, but I think everyone here feels the same way about labeling music..
And people that don’t grasp the idea of emo being around before My Chemical Romance, Underoath, Aiden and all of those, those people kind of pisses me off.. Talking and discussing about subjects they don’t know about should be the 8th death sin, if you ask me.. The same goes for every other discussion there is, I might add.. How the hell can you discuss religion if you’ve never looked upon other religions than the one you’ve been force fed since childhood? Or have a discussion about music you’ve never heard, but heard of ?
I really liked the My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone-song, just to wrap things up.. I’ll check it out more closely, and probably buy the 7” too.. I have a feeling that this stuff will grow on me..
7.22.2008 | By Chris
MCR, Jimmy Eat World, etc. = pop-punk
7.22.2008 | By Avi
ha! sorry man, i didnt mean to overtake the comments with a discussion of genre terms… Though all points made are good and valid.
I mean, in the end everyone is going to have their take on it. How many books or articles have you read saying Nirvana was punk… I mean, I guess to some degree they were, but then again, not at all…
This stuff, My Heart To Joy In The Same Tone is definitely more towards the punk/emo/screamo/hardcore side of things. The instrumentation reminds me of Bear vs. Shark ever so slightly. I like that its short too…
7.22.2008 | By blend77