Robyn Writes

Tyler Daniel Bean – Longing

Longing is the melancholic sound of former screamo enthusiast turner singer-songwriter Tyler Daniel Bean. In his first solo outing since the disbanding of his former and much more aggressive outfit Ghosting, Tyler delivers ten emotionally fraught songs from the freezing desolate landscapes of his Vermont surroundings. Think Brand New at their most gloomy and you’ll get a good indication of Longing’s sumptuously depressing ballads.

First track ‘Flowers At My Feet’ begins in a low-key fashion with Tyler crooning over a finger picked acoustic and foreboding cello. Without much in the way of warning, the song erupts into crashing drums and furious lead guitar with Tyler giving a brief throwback to his Ghosting days through cathartic screams.

The ridiculously titled ‘I Think Its Time To Go Back To Our Original Smoothie Plan’ is a more upbeat foot stomper of a song with sullen, fuzzy guitars permeated by the lead guitars melodic jangle. The track flows effortlessly into ‘Heather Lane’, a similar sounding faster paced song that unfortunately doesn’t posses any real memorable moments. ‘Lake Eola’ on the other hand is a much more attention grabbing outing with the instruments and Tyler’s voice especially coming across delectably sulky. Haunting reverb –laden backing vocals provide the song with an added depth and expansiveness. Tyler’s croon is intertwined with slightly off-kilter female vocals harmonies in ‘I’m Just Going TO Go Home And Not Make Any Progress’. The instrumentation is stripped back to its bare bones creating a sense of emotional and musical fragility to match his equally troubled lyrics. As the band unleashes another short burst of restrained fury at the end of the track it seems that what Tyler is best at is creating songs that start out as slow burners; his measured acoustic strumming and soulful croon luring the listener into a state of comfort. Then, quite unassumingly he unleashed his raw emotion with aplomb, allowing his band to loosen up their inhibitions and otherwise beautifully subtle playing into brief cacophonies of melodic catharsis. ‘Rootbeerlington’ again displays Tyler’s dynamic prowess, his hushed voice giving way to a brief flurry of shouting which brings to mind Balance and Composure at their most introspective. ‘It’s Vegan, Not Vagan’ introduces subtle xylophone melodies in between bouts of simple yet refined drums. Closer ‘Sometime The Details Are Underground’ begins with pounding drums and grungy overdriven chords with the lead guitar carving out melodies through the aural barrage. The track is brought down to its bare bones several times, finally descending into a single acoustic and minimal accompaniment to bring the album to a reserved close.

Although most of his songs seem to follow the same quiet/loud formula, they still remain powerfully raw- possessing an engrossing emotional sincerity evident not only in Tyler’s versatile croon but in his distinguished songwriting. For a debut release, Longing is a record of maturity. Showcasing Tyler’s emotional fragility through ten, for the most part, beautifully constructed and recorded songs.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Heartwell – Certainty Of Change

It’s a rare thing to listen to a record and be instantly aware of how much fun the people on said record are having- singing their hearts out and thrashing away at their instruments like their lives depend on it. Emerging from the New Jersey D.I.Y punk scene, Heartwell are caught somewhere between fellow Jersey residents Lifetime, with their melodic emo-tinged hardcore approach and the catchy jingle-jangle of Indie. The band’s debut – Certainty Of Change, despite the usual self deprecating emo lyrical histrionics, possesses a unique ability to warm the cockles of your heart through songs that beg to be sung along to. From the first raspy vocals of opener ‘Second Annual’ you may feel the inclination to jump around and shout the words back with all the strength in your lungs. These are songs written for playing in a live environment – to be best enjoyed covered in sweat in a small room of writhing bodies.

As the mosh-inciting opener draws to a close, there is an instant sense that this album has raised its head above the mire of similar sounding groups. ‘Milpool’ sees dual harmonising vocals with each vocalist competing to claim the title of having the most bedraggled and tattered vocal chords. Ringing guitars provide the beautifully simple harmonies whilst gruff power chords maintain momentum throughout, hammering away at riff after riff with hearty vigour. ‘Adults’ features a more subdued and melodically inclined intro with guitar lines weaving in and out of each other, flowing into following track ‘Chronometry’. The relentless energy rarely lets up until the more sombre ‘Untitled’, a wonderfully understated three chord interlude that lets everyone catch their breath before the pace intensifies once again for ‘Who Monitors The Monitor’ – yet another raucous foot-stomper of a track. ‘Bring Me Back Something French’ has more than enough “woah-ohs” to keep the pop-punkers content as well as some clever drum work that is brilliantly intricate without being too distracting. The group finish the album on ‘Winter Swimmers,’ another fast-paced blast of punk that descends into a piano line of stark simplicity that brings the album to a subtle and dignified close.

Sure, there may be thousands of bands who instill the same Lifetime-isms into their music as Heartwell, yet few can claim to do so with such sincerity and energy. It is clear that Heartwell are injecting every morsel of their very being into their music, placing much higher value towards overt passion rather than originality. It is this fact that makes ‘Certainty Of Change’ such an enjoyable record and if by the end of listening to it you haven’t as much as even though about stagediving to their bouncy emotional punk, then I’m afraid there may be something wrong with you.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Undesirable People – Eugenics [EP]

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Pop punk is a bloated genre, spurting out bland clones with reckless abandon, all of whom claim to be worlds apart from each other whilst they’re essentially just covering each others songs. To stand out amongst the millions of whiney voiced Jimmy Eat World worshippers is a real feat. Eugenics a six song E.P by new pop -punks-on-the-block Undesirable People has all the desire to break free from tired clichés and yearns not to be pigeonholed into a convenient cranny of pop-punk’s sub-sub-genres. Furthermore, the fact that Jay Maas of Defeater fame mixed the record speaks volumes of the band’s musical and creative ability. As opening track ‘Eugenics’ blasts out of the starting blocks the first nuances of Undesirable People’s efforts of individuality become clear. Math-inspired stop/start stutterings revolve around tempo changes exemplified by relatively simple yet effective guitar interplay. Dynamism is nowhere more abundant than in the vocals, veering from lung bursting shouts to a delicious Patrick Stump falsetto sung with enough conviction to make the ladies (and fellas) go weak at knees. And for good measure, there’s the good old fashioned pop-punk nasal whine at the start of ‘Deathly Combinations,’ which no pop-punk record should be without. As with any pop punk troupe, the choruses soar and Stephen Kennedy’s vocals are boosted by subtle harmonies providing all the “oooohs” and “aaaaahs” that are always the sign of a big, anthemic chorus.

The band aren’t afraid to throw out a few curveballs, perhaps in a slight act of desperation but nonetheless the bluesy guitar solo on ‘Deathly Combinations’ and the delicate horn flare on closer ‘Animals’ certainly grab your attention. More importantly, they add a quirky element and sense of individuality which almost lives up to the bands bold claims of distinctiveness, but these moments alone cannot define the record. Despite the group’s relative success at steering well clear of clichés the songs themselves lack overt personality and it is only closer ‘Animals’ that really provides any impact. The emphasis on dynamics and hushed vocal whispers of the verses give the chorus the extra boost to make it truly memorable. They may be Undesirable People, but what they create is desirable music that is earnest and passionate. However, their quest for cliché free pop-punk, despite best efforts, is yet to be fully realized.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Terror – Southampton Joiners, 29/10/12

A Monday night is probably the least favourite word in any touring band member’s vocabulary. Playing to twenty-or-so uninterested people in a decrepit toilet venue for little-to-no money sounds fun, eh? But Terror’s show at the dank, intimate surrounding of Southampton’s historic Joiners venue was one of those few times when a Monday night show in a grey town sees every band entice nothing less than carnage.

A sizeable portion of the sold-out crowd greets Desolated’s down-tuned and hellish hardcore. Having headlined the venue only a few months before, the band instantly hit their stride, inciting the kids at the front into a frenzy of flailing limbs. Opener ‘Betrayal’ pummels the crowd with brutal riff after brutal riff and it’s not long before stage-divers appear to pound the crowd even further. ‘Dead End’ throws some blastbeats into the mix, making their already brutal metal sound downright terrifying. Frontman Paul holds out the mic as a small pile of bodies scramble to scream and growl the band’s anti-religious lyrics. The grating feedback and concrete riffs of final song ‘Blasphemy’ sees the dancers throw themselves about the pit for the final demonic breakdown. Although Desolated are as subtle as a kick in the testicles from a pair of Doc Martens, they are already one of UK hardcore’s most formidable live bands.

Manchester’s finest, Broken Teeth, may not bleed originality but they are one of the UK’s hardest working bands. Through relentless touring of the UK and Europe, the five-piece has made fans the hard way, but now they are finally beginning to receive the response they deserve. The chugging metal-infused riffs of their crossover sound are met with rabid response. New tracks from the ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’ E.P provide Slayer-worshipping licks that rain down with ardent ferocity as the vocalist throws himself about the stage in a blur of hair. ‘The Seeker’ brings their set to a chaotic close in what was a headline-worthy performance.

There’s a tangible anticipation in the air for South Wales troupe Brutality Will Prevail and you’d be forgiven in thinking that they were the headline band such is the response they receive. Opening with short Harm’s Way cover the band launches into ‘Trapped Doors, Moving Walls’ and the opening screams of “Look into my eyes/I can see what you want me to be” are howled back at the band by a fervent crowd. New song ‘The Path’ is greeted like an old favourite, its more straight forward riff-orientated style being lapped up by those in the pit. ‘Reprisal’ displays an unrelentingly crushing selection of snail-paced chugging, opening a large vortex of flying limbs and steady stream of stage divers. Vocalist Ajay contorts his body into a plethora of violent gestures whilst challenging the audience to increase the already chaotic pit action to uncharted new levels. Despite some technical difficulties BWP’s momentum never flags. ‘Purgatory’ is a beatdown-heavy blast of pure bile that sits surprisingly well against the more progressive and expansive but no less brutal ‘Cursed’ and the driving momentum of closer ‘Heavy Eyes’. An almost flawless set from one of the UK’s most promising outfits, it’s taken them a while but BWP are now a solid and intimidating live act.

Any fears that BWP’s set would be the peak in energy are quickly extinguished. A mix of early thirties crusty punks and young hardcore kids welcomes Terror, a band that have been playing shows in sweaty little rooms across the globe for ten years. Scott Vogel is easily one the most charismatic frontman in hardcore, encouraging kids to stagedive, handing out the mic to the sweaty throng and never being short of a good old hilarious “Vogelism” (Google it). A career spanning set means no fans are left disappointed; tracks are aired from almost every release including the first song the band ever wrote. Of course, ‘Keepers of the Faith’ is saved until last and quite rightly receives the biggest sing along of the night from the humid, sweat-drenched room.

The Last Word – Endlessly Crashing

Subtlety – this is a word that metalcore troupe The Last Word have either never heard of or view with disdain. With their debut record Endlessly Crashing the group have shunned and eradicated any notion of rawness, integrity and originality in favour of the most brash, hyper-produced, polished and frantically daft collection of songs humanly possible. The whole album has a general feel that all of the band’s members have ADHD to varying extents, never content to let a song breathe but instead filling it with as many over-the-top musical theatrics and pointless little sound effects possible. The drums have been polished and beefed up to such an extent they are downright robotic and a relentless double kick never lets up, always pounding away with machine gun precision. The guitars peddle the same old metalcore riffs and techniques with similar robotic meticulousness. Throaty screams and growls give way to ‘clean‘ vocals which are admittedly very well sung and soar above the cacophony of instruments. “I tried to save you. But I couldn’t save you” are just some of the ‘deep‘ and ‘insightful’ lyrics offered by the band. Nevertheless the choruses do have some sing-a-long potential, even if the words are apparently meaningless quasi-emotional phrases strung together to form some kind of half-coherent narrative.

Opening track “The Crushing View” is arguably the most ludicrous on the album. Synthesised strings and military drumming instill a sense of over-the-top pomp, a theme that remains for all fourteen tracks. “Faith In Chaos” follows with crushing beatdown after beatdown and histrionics from all band members instantly reaching levels of ridiculousness. A much needed respite is reached in the closing seconds of “The End Of Us” in the form of an uncharacteristically delicate piano sequence that ends all too quickly before “The Tempest” erupts in a flurry of Protest The Hero guitar theatrics and glitch sound effects that do nothing except return attention to the artificiality of the record. “This Was Never Yours” a song which has inexplicably racked up over a hundred thousand views on Youtube shows the band’s more mellow side for about five seconds before it launches another full and unrestrained assault on the ears. “The Closing Chapter” is he token ‘emotional’ song. Despite featuring acoustic guitars and more gentle approach by the band the production is still so synthetic and clean you can almost smell the bleach. Closer “Lost In Between” attempts to end on a similar level of pomp as the opener, again employing the dreaded synth strings in an attempt to reach epic proportions yet ultimately ends up sounding like every other song on the record- bloated and devoid of sincerity.

To put it simply – this album basically sounds like Enter Shikari if they didn’t have any taste or forward thinking capacity and kept the swept fringes. With any luck, this album will be the death-knell of this terrible synthetic brand of generic metalcore. However, considering the success of bands such as Asking Alexandria and *shudder* Motionless In White it seems that this dead end sub-genre still has some life left in its decaying lungs. Expect to see The Last Word on the cover of Rocksound in about a year.

1 out of 5 high fives!