REVIEWS
There’s plenty of music released every single month, and with each Monthly Music Roundup article, we share some quick reviews of several releases from throughout the month that we personally enjoyed and want to cover. EPs
Come Clean - From Down The Street I heard good things about the new EP from pop punk band Come Clean, so I decided to check it out for myself and I agree with what a lot of people are saying about the release and how good of a release it is. “High Guy” starts the EP off strong, as fast-paced, punk leaning instrumentals drive the track and bring a ton of energy to it. The vocals show similar influences as well, and the chorus is really catchy. “Clarity” is another very energetic one, and the composition on here is great with some melodies that are unique and definitely a bit different compared to those on the previous track. The vocals delivering those are accompanied by hard hitting instrumentals and the song altogether is a huge standout on the EP. “Complicated” is probably the most pop punk offering on here, and is my personal favorite of these four tracks. The melodies are memorable once again, and the singer incorporates some raw shouted vocals in the performance towards the pre-chorus, but it still fits well, preparing for the memorable chorus led by clean vocals delivering some of the catchiest melodies on this EP. Closer “When I’m Falling” shows influences of punk and early pop punk with its infectious energy, much like the track that opens this EP up. The bass and drums stand out quite a bit, mainly around the bridge, and the song closes the EP out very well. Overall, I liked the different influences shown on “From Down The Street” and think it’s an interesting EP from Come Clean. Currents - I Let The Devil In After hearing a few tracks off of Currents’ last release, I really liked their sound and was curious to hear this EP. Lead single and opener “Into Despair” shows the band at their most aggressive, at least in regards to the vocals, and is arguably the heaviest track on this release. “My Disguise” hits hard right from the beginning, but incorporates some clean vocals that deliver incredible melodies and overall put on an incredible performance. The guitars are more melodic as well and that really fits with the more emotional vibe of the song, even when faster instrumentals (particularly the drums) make the track more energetic and aggressive. The EP’s midway point is the track “Feel The Same,” which is one of my personal favorites. It’s without a doubt the most melodic one of the bunch, bringing some softer instrumentals and vocals that prepare for a huge chorus with powerful performances from each member. “The Rope” is also very energetic and aggressive, and much like the second track, shows the vocals at their most aggressive but also includes some clean vocals. This dynamic is also shown through the instrumentals, which take a step back when the clean vocals come in, letting them shine even more than they do. Closing track “Forever Marked” does the same thing - when aggressive it has some of the most aggressive vocals ever (much like the opener) but also brings another memorable and anthemic chorus when the song takes a slightly more melodic turn. In conclusion, “I Let The Devil In” is another really good release from Currents. More Than A Moment - What Goes On Behind Closed Curtains I’ve heard about More Than A Moment in the past and they recently released their debut EP, “What Goes On Behind Closed Curtains.” I gave it a chance, and let me tell you, I was pretty impressed and pleasantly surprised by what I heard. “They Say Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day” hits hard right from the beginning, bringing lots of energy, darker guitars, and a very memorable chorus. “Death & Other Species” makes a great lead single, incorporating the various influences in this band’s sound, from the screaming, harder instrumentals and aggressive breakdown to the synths and electronics similar to those on the introductory track. The following two tracks really let the instrumentals shine, with the bass being more prominent in “Flying Over The Universe At Fifteen Miles An Hour” and “I Wish You Looked At Me As Much As You Look At Your Cellphone” bringing some very impressive guitar parts, and the vocals on both of those tracks deliver a very captivating and charismatic performance. Closing track “Kill Me If I’m Still Awake At 6AM” is similar in those aspects, also bringing a lot of energy and even some aggression in the vocal department, easily being the heaviest one on the entire EP. Overall, “What Goes On Behind Closed Doors” is a solid and pretty impressive debut EP for More Than A Moment. Albums Crazy Eighty Eight - Burning Alive After releasing a handful of covers and adding As It Is frontman Patty Walters on bass, post-hardcore supergroup CrazyEightyEight brought forth a fantastic new single (“Shinebox”) and a solid debut album to follow it up. The band blends fantastic melodies and hooks delivered through captivating vocals with harsher and more aggressive moments, with “Shinebox,” “Fortune And Glory, Kid,” and “Bastard From A Basket” being perfect examples of that. A few of the tracks on here, specifically “Nitroglycerin” and “Moloko Plus” (which features a great guest appearance from Garrett Russell, lead vocalist of Silent Planet), show the band’s more aggressive tendencies, while quite a few others (“I Am Tetsuo,” “Tears In Rain,” poignant “Hannah” and huge alternative rock influenced ballad “You Were Right”) show them leaning towards the more melodic side of the spectrum, at least for the most part, giving the album a lot of variety and quite a bit of balance. Altogether, “Burning Alive” is such a strong debut for this band. Valleyheart - Everyone I’ve Ever Loved Valleyheart immediately intruiged me with “Crave,” one of the lead singles from this album. The record has more relaxing tracks, from “Heaven & Hell” and “Maryland” to the guitar driven “Drowned In Living Waters” and “Paradisum,” a track where the vocals really shine. As well as those tracks, the band also brings some slightly harder hitting ones like the upbeat single “Friends In The Foyer,” “Agnosia,” which has a huge and memorable chorus, “Dissolve” and “Communion” where the instrumentals show off, and “Intangible Dream,” with one of the best vocal performances this entire record has to offer. As a whole, “Everyone I’ve Ever Loved” is a captivating release showing off Valleyheart’s unique sound.
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