Brighton’s coastal boys As It Is have risen again out of the turbulent seabed of time, just shortly after the release of last year’s Blenheim Place EP, with a new four-song effort, titled This Mind Of Mine. When considering the title of the record alone, we can gain a glimpse into the confessional and sombre narrative, which bridges each song on the EP. As It Is emulate and execute this consistent tone with a collective artistic poise.
From the stomping beginning of “Bitter, Broken Me” a progression is notable. The production on This Mind Of Mine is a significant step up from the tinned muffled gargle of what was displayed on the previous EP. As It Is have successfully transposed the home-grown grounded sound of their previous efforts into the calibre of their new sound. “Bitter, Broken Me” is clean-cut with a merciless melody eager to slice away initial apprehensions of listeners. The musicianship evident on the opening track jolts from dynamics effortlessly evoking an unsettling thrill, which is heightened during the bridge where vocalist Patty Walters shakes the hands of predecessors, The Early November, with a reference to an excerpt from the classic “Ever So Sweet”. Walters revives the poignancy of the classic, claiming "You’re ever so sweet, you’re everything I know I don’t deserve at all...", illustrating the acknowledgement to the lineage of seminal acts before the band - the endearing first impression.
“Horoscopes” raises the concern of faith within the modern world, suggesting how the absence of faith can be just as polarizing as the overbearing "conceptions" of faith. The song features an interplay of gruff and clean vocals, reminiscent of Seaway and Living With Lions, which add to the potency of the inevitable fate of how we will all be reduced to "just bodies in boxes or dust in porcelain".
The single “Can’t Help Myself” is by far the strongest moment on This Mind Of Mine, where the band reinvigorates The Starting Line’s Say It Like You Mean It-esque sound, however tailored in their own way. Throughout the duration of “Can’t Help Myself”, there are moments when Say It Like You Mean It classics, such as “Cheek To Cheek” and “This Ride”, rear their heads with a coy smile. The last refrain of the half-time tempo of the chorus leaves you spinning after each punch.
Closer “Relive The Story” stretches at all corners in a fluid fashion starting with the timid appregiated trebled licks into a formulaic mechanic muffled wall of sound, which teases your attentive ears before erupting into volcanic bursts of ash which lathers listeners as “Relive The Story” fades.
This Mind Of Mine is a consecutive, bold, four-song effort that distances the band continents away from the early-incarnated sound. On This Mind Of Mine, As It Is perfectly colonizes each musical terrain it dares to cover.
Tracklist:
1. Bitter, Broken Me
2. Horoscopes
3. Can't Save Myself
4. Relive The Story
RIYL: Say It Like You Mean It-era The Starting Line, Seaway
Rating:
More reviews by Aaron Akeredolu
