May I Refuse "Everything Stops Her Breathe" CD
[Dufresne]
This is calm, melodic emo/indie rock from Italy that relies heavily on clean and semi-distorted guitars and a blend of somewhat poppy upbeat tempos and slower, more melancholic arrangements. Vocally things stick with singing (occasionally employing vocal harmonies) with the sparse scream in the distance here and there. Their style sounds very American, in fact, I'd never guess they were Italian had I not noticed the contact information on the back of the traycard. I can't pinpoint exactly what their writing reminds me of, it does sound familiar, but not to the point where numerous other bands are immediately jumping to mind. I wouldn't call it original by any means, but it's good for what it is. I think the one thing they need to do is make their dynamic shifts even more emphatic. With more distortion used at times some of these riffs would be borderline pop punk (in a good way), and it would definitely add another level of exploration to the songs, which is always nice. The recording works, but with some effort it could be more beneficial to the band's already effective songwriting. The basslines are very prominent and work perfectly in between the guitar and the percussion, the drums sound warm and natural, the vocals are placed right alongside the guitars in the mix, etc. What I'd like to hear would be a bit more volume and definition all around. Brighter treble, smoother bass... just a greater accent on the details of the sound, a kick in the ass as far as volume and texture - that would really make these songs pop out. The layout is simple and consistent, using few colors, clean typefaces, and imagery that has all been manipulated in Photoshop. Generally these types of effects look silly, but it tends to work here since everything is a shade of yellow-ish brown. Lyrically I'm not sure how I would describe this material, but I don't particularly like the content. It just comes off as a bit sappy and not particularly interesting or anything. "White sheets lie in green hills, Broken glass over them, I'll never see her again, In memory of you, thank you, Thank you, you make me able to see the light, even if you've left us alone." Not bad. Diehard fans of the genre should check this out, as great singing and solid writing are definitely in effect. It's not what I would call essential for those who only occasionally get into this stuff, but I could see this band doing something big in the future. I can appreciate this. (6/10)
Running time - 33:04, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: Reminding Moments, Thank You, You Make Me Able To...]
Dufresne Records - http://www.dufresneattack.com

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