Outside – ‘Feel Me & Bleed Onto Me’ EP Review
Posted: by Riley
Feel Me and Bleed Onto Me, the debut EP from Outside, was bread from the same frigid air inhabited by last year’s paradigm-shifting Hyperview – well, not the same literal air, but you get the idea. Outside is yet another scene-leaning band from the basements and barns of Toledo, and yet another example of the wide assortment of sounds and textures coming from a tight-knit group of northwest Ohio giggers – the same faction that boasts acts like Secret Space, The Flats, and Good Personalities.
Outside is a decidedly Midwestern band; their wiry guitars and despondent-yet-agressive vocal delivery conjure up images of snow-clad streets of Southeast Michigan. And like many Toledo bands, they’re heavily indebted to the hardcore scene that dominated the area for years (and in many ways, still lives on); for the most part, this influence manifests itself in the group’s lyrics. One song is called “Bleed Onto Me” and the other prominently features the line “It feels like I’m drowning” – a line that finds frontman Evin Daniels affecting some sort of twisted vibrato. This is where Outside distances themselves from their peers. Yes, they’re making atmospheric shoegaze-dream-pop-whatever-you-wanna-call-it. Yes, they’ve got lyrics about dreaming, drowning, and trying not to cry. But Outside’s appeal is buttressed by smart production, crafty song-writing, and hiding their personality in the details.
Feel Me and Bleed Onto Me is an example of perfect timing. In the midst of a daunting snow storm, the EP seems to pair naturally with frost-covered windows and the natural melancholy of winter. And if you’re somewhere where it’s warm, Outside’s EP is like a snow globe. Carry it with you when you’re too sad for the sunny weather and need to escape.
Score: 8.4
FFO: Title Fight, Turnover, Nothing
