New England up-and-comers American Verse and The Tired And True have joined forces to bring us a new split to add to our ever-growing favorites list of the year. Each band experiments with contrasting thematic elements in their contribution, which are faintly displayed in the split artwork - emphasis on split. The record is another addition to each band’s discography that the members should be eager to boast about.
Worcester, Massachusetts natives American Verse are up first, sharing two tracks with undertones that are reflected through the dark grey and gloomy half of their section on the album artwork. Sleepless Nights, Restless Days features high-octave vocals with lyrics about hopes of transcending the monotonous life, a facet of the record that would thoroughly please The Wonder Years frontman/lyricist Dan "Soupy" Campbell (“I need to find an escape from these days that are all the same”). The track’s pit-starter closing - and killer drum work at that - comes to an abrupt end as we spontaneously move into a darker-toned, less melodic These Hours. It is a melancholic self-reflection about constantly losing time and lamenting of the atmosphere’s coldness and distant nature ("these hours, like sand, are slipping through the holes in my hands”).
The Tired And True keep the pace going with the condemning, hopes-of-life-revamping track Clockwatcher. The intricate guitar chord progressions in conjunction with vocalist Kurt Zikaras’s raspy delivery gives the track a colorful tonality. Listen closely; influences from Rochester’s own Polar Bear Club are splattered all across this one. A darker key and delicately-crafted melodies outline Somebody Else, a powerful jam that impresses a very individualistic and self-reliant sentiment upon its listeners. Zikaras drives it home as he gradually builds up to an explosive ending, putting the finishing touch on a fairly perceptive record.
March 26th is a big day for new music this year, with favorites such as Senses Fail, The Story So Far, and Cartel aiming to outshine their peers early on in the year. It appears as though American Verse and The Tired And True are aiming to leave their mark on this day and give their higher competition something to worry about.
Tracklist:
American Verse
1. Sleepless Nights, Restless Days
2. These Hours
The Tired And True
3. Clockwatcher
4. Somebody Else
Rating:
Written by Melissa Jones
American Verse
The Tired And True
