(Top Shelf 2009)
Emo/Post-Hardcore/Indie
When I saw this record and started to listen to it, it didn't even dawn on me that this was the same band as My Heart To Joy At The Same Tone, for some reason I just thought they were name ripping. It wasn't until I did a little reading up (checking their last.fm counts as reading, right?) that they were indeed the same and decided on a name change to suit their newer sound. Apparently they used to sound a lot like Hot Water Music before, coarse vocals but a little bit more emo (sounds like a million other bands in the history of music?) but they were able to hold their own and bring something new to the table. Anyway; onto the review!
The opener, Time Spent Breathing, is an instrumental, something that really builds up into a record. I like when indie emo bands do this, I'm always ready, half expecting scream that's going to make me jump before it skips right into the second track. That doesn't happen, which makes me glad, it actually gave me more of a Fugazi style start to a record.
Much like a lot of the other indie emo that's hit our years in the last couple of years, there's loads of coarse vocals, quirky guitar noodling, down tempo middle section, but with feeling like you're still in Hot Water Music and Braid territory here. There's also a new element, some added post-rock-esque moments that seem to be popping up in (almost) every record this year...but hey, if it feels and sounds right, then do it.
All the basses have been covered on this record, that said there's even a cover thrown in there for good measure (again, kudos to my reading skills) in the shape of Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory, which the original credits go to Guided By Voices. This is quite a surprise, if you're not much of a GBV fan like I, then you might like this, I've never heard the original though so don't pass any judgement on band until you have a listen yourself.
I don't think this is one of the stand out records of the year but it has some really solid moments and a couple of moments where they don't sound much like anyone else out there. It's still well worth a listen if you haven't already over indulged on Castevet, Snowing, Boy Problems, Title Fight...
7/10
www.last.fm/music/My+Heart+To+Joy
www.myhearttojoy.com
www.myspace.com/myhearttojoy
www.topshelf-records.com
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