You Blew It! – “Pioneer Of Nothing” Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
I think if every year started off with a You Blew It! album, I would start looking forward to the holidays (despite what they do to my bank account and mental health). Thank gosh for the 2nd year in a row, 1 of the leaders in the emo revival returns with new music that pours into my ears with soothing atmospheric blend of rock and soft indie.
Pioneer Of Nothing might be the name of the new EP, but it doesn’t mean this band isn’t being a pioneer within their scene. Rather, they add to the genre. ‘Lanai’ starts with a crystal clear plucking of notes backed with chord progressions outlining the rather beautiful movement into the verse. And most of this EP is that, more serene in structure and more calm in nature than their previous release, Keep Doing What You’re Doing.
‘Bedside Manor’ sounds like it is named, a short and rather moving song I want to have as I drift off into sleep. Even when the song approaches its more overdriven climax it provides comfort and reflection in the little thoughts that enter your head before finding the land of dreams. The contrast of pulsing loud moments and a lone guitar laying the smoothest riff as the song closes helps show off the mature progress of You Blew It! as a band playing with more dynamics.
And then they decide to provide shock therapy in their closing track as ‘Your Side’ takes the listener into a shaky vocal approach grasping an emotional set of lyrics and humming guitars. I don’t mean shaky in a bad way, just the way Tanner Jones lets his feelings enter his voice as he sings on this track keeps me still and in awe for two minutes and 56 seconds.
And then it is over, the three track EP ends with organs softly fading away. Pioneer Of Nothing has a more relaxed feel to it, challenging listeners to really embed themselves in the different tones the band brought with them. What I wanted more of was more songs and a bit more intense distorted parts for an even brighter contrast of soft vs. loud. But for however long this band continues to make music, I am by your side.
8.3/10
– Sean
