Damn, this band ought to get a new vocalist... because as soon as I popped this in I was blitzed by some big rock chords and a big, warm rock sound, so I was thinkin', "Awww yeah, this should be pretty good!" But then the vocals kicked in and sort of left me hanging... I don't know, I mean, the guy's not a bad singer per se, but his delivery is a little dull and one-sided, lacking the energy and diversity that the music so excellently displays. The songs are a mix of post-hardcore and indie elements that go from the more vibrant and rockin' side to the slower, more rhythmic spectrum, or the darker and more spacious sort of indie edge. I really fucking love the music though, not to mention the amazing production! The drums are huge and natural, the bass is fucking destructive, and the guitars are warm, loud, and bright, all with a crystal fucking clear mix. The vocals are very well mixed, but the guy's delivery just isn't doing it for me. The music rules and as a frontman he is competent enough to where I still really enjoy this, but with more energy and more range, and less of a weird sort of subtle twang in the singing this band could fucking rule. His voice works infinitely better in softer songs like "Marigold", as his calm and somewhat monotone style falls back behind the driving basslines and lush, spaced out guitar chords perfectly - as it also complements the dry and almost unbelievably clear acoustic guitars in "Skeleton" (though there some of his weaknesses in consistency also arise). "New Standard" opens with a heavy, dissonant rhythm, math rock time signatures, and some screaming vocals, and that shit sounds fucking great. Definitely amping up the intensity big time midway through the record and surprisingly following the quietest passage of the CD. This is a really diverse record, for sure. Visually this looks awesome, printed on matte paper with a consistent color scheme and imagery. It has an Asian sort of theme, and everything really stands out, but it's minimal and pretty basic, which is nice. The lyrics are personal and somewhat abstract in a way, but they're not really doing much for me: "She says nothing happens, He stays bitter like his friends, Tongue-tied cries her eyes out, His star lives to shine again." In the end, I stand by my claim that these guys need a new vocalist. Musically this is killer. It sounds great, it looks great, and the band is basically great. But a suitably talented and diverse vocalist is absolutely mandatory to crank these guys to the level where they should be right now. Very promising...
[Coptercrash]
Running time - 38:20, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: Shake You, New Standard, Geisha]
Coptercrash - http://www.coptercrash.com
