Rapid Fire Reviews 3/31
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
ADJY – Prelude (.3333)
Whirling percussive patterns are constantly flying through ADJY‘s newest EP, Prelude (.3333) – out via Triple Crown Records. Their music possess plenty of energy within each of the four tracks on the EP. “Praepositio” has pounding drum patterns that act as the chauffeur for the rest of the instrumentals, creating a concussive outline with each line. The vocals are catchy, working as little injections into the mind with big hooks and backing chants full of passionate vigor. ADJY are a group pulsating from the depths of the world with their vivacious creativity. The tunes sparkle with urgency, forcing so much into the lighthearted tunes that their atmosphere and mix itself are smiling. From the synth coos of “Grammatology” to the nine minute epic “Another Flmmarion Woodcut,” Prelude (.3333) shocks listeners hearts to being attentive to the music at hand. Also worth mentioning is that nine minute track flows through each progression so smoothly that it never feels over done, instead taking your ears on one of the happiest journeys they will ever fly through. Each motif is a bouncy and infectious as the previous.
Score: 7.5/10
Stars Hollow – I’m Really Not That Upset About It
Man, this is an album I’ve worked with for so long that I can honestly say I am never bored finding yet another way to say; I’m Really Not That Upset About It is one of the better screamo records I have heard in awhile. Between the crushing weight of emotional discourse and the puncturing instrumentals, it’s safe to say Stars Hollow is a band everyone should know about it. The guitar lines wing their way through the mix with intricate licks, showing their desperation with crystal clear tones. This gives the bass to hold down the grooves, root notes and punch the song with a bellow that contrasts the twinkly tones. Between Tyler and Jesse sharing vocal duties, the lyrics are poetic cries of anguish, self help and the innate worry of living day to day. Throw all this together with drum work that keeps each song driving forward with power. The trio are another addition to a midwest scene that continues to keep showing their worth and snarling their teeth, crashing through the rest of the world with five biting songs worth your full attention.
Score: 8.7/10
Veery – Veery
Emotive hardcore has been a genre that has been slowly falling away from my grasp. Most acts are riding the same wavelength and doing a great job with it. That being said, Veery comes kicking and screaming from their own corner of the ring with their self-titled EP. Their song’s recipes feature fuzzy bass lines with interesting guitar parts clashing with jittery drum work. “Annuals” is one of the more dynamic tracks offered, slipping through glittery guitar verses with stellar leads before the entire band dedicates their energy to the chorus riff. It’s syncopated to perfection with the vocals gnawing at your ears with their screams. It’s a blend of early hardcore punk with intelligent other parts wound together to form the skeleton. “Julia” is a crushing song utilizing spastic progressions, whether coming from the blistering drums or chaotic vocal rants. “Zero Three” has an ominous presence attached to the dark tone bleeding through the wiry guitars. The entire Veery record is over rather quickly, but not before slapping your face with so much energy it leaves your ears ringing.
Score: 8/10
Our Fair City – The Animal Manual
Now this record is a bit dated compared to the others on the list, but I thought it was one that fit the style and vibes of this flood of reviews. Our Fair City is emo an emo band, there’s no doubt about it. Their moods are the yelping whines that are reflective and pensive, never over throwing their angst on The Animal Manual. The songs are just quiet and possess a lot of atmosphere. At times I found myself sitting rather peacefully for minutes on end, letting the embrace wrap me into feeling tranquil. It’s always an amazing quality in music to hear, and tracks like “New Blood” and “Ghosts” are just that way. The opening few tracks are less gripping in their more distorted and dissonance, which I think they do so well in creating ambience that the few times they ride their more rambunctious sides I felt the power get sucked away a bit. These are minor times however and they even make the idea work on “Singularity,” allowing the natural build to not swallow all the work they had spent leading up to it. The lyrics of closer “Tension” are beautifully thought out, “everything dies but nothing leaves, we return to the wilderness we come from. Everything dies but nothing leaves, we return, we become everything.”
Score: 7/10
