Alexisonfire - Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Despite having a live show tantamount to the stuff of legend, Canadians Alexisonfire's recorded output had been very patchy until 2006's Crisis, a far more mature effort which allowed the songs space to breathe far more than the "party rock" approach of old. Before, you'd only listen to them for "moments" like Accidents, Control or Get Fighted. Now, listening to them is an experience.
The theme of the last record was recovery in disaster. Prevalent from the world go, this record is about seeing the world through older eyes, and becoming lost in all around you. The first two tracks, each taking a half of the album track - the refrain from Old Crows, "We are not the kids we used to be" says it all and Young Cardinals wonders what they can be taught by the young. The album takes Alexisonfire's traditional bombastic approach and makes this record a rifftastic growling beast. No Rest is the best of a fantastic early bunch of songs, where rawer production values let you hear the record as it was meant to be heard - a mission statement of confusion at the world that confronts them.
This record never suffers from being samey, just like its predecessor Crisis, and the three vocalists have all improved in different ways - Wade McNeill now seems to be post-hardcore's Mark Lanegan, George Pettit's hoarse cries are a welcome interspersion from constant screaming, and Dallas Green, well, his voice is one of the closest to perfection modern music has - just see Midnight Regulations for reference. There really isn't a weak track on this record, gone are the "woah-ohs" and the constant urgency of old, in its place a real statement and belief in direction and the band sound far better for it. A really excellent record.
For Fans Of: The Bronx, Underoath, Thursday, Emarosa
If You Like This, You'll Love:
City And Colour - Sometimes
Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Thrice - Vheissu
Despite having a live show tantamount to the stuff of legend, Canadians Alexisonfire's recorded output had been very patchy until 2006's Crisis, a far more mature effort which allowed the songs space to breathe far more than the "party rock" approach of old. Before, you'd only listen to them for "moments" like Accidents, Control or Get Fighted. Now, listening to them is an experience.
The theme of the last record was recovery in disaster. Prevalent from the world go, this record is about seeing the world through older eyes, and becoming lost in all around you. The first two tracks, each taking a half of the album track - the refrain from Old Crows, "We are not the kids we used to be" says it all and Young Cardinals wonders what they can be taught by the young. The album takes Alexisonfire's traditional bombastic approach and makes this record a rifftastic growling beast. No Rest is the best of a fantastic early bunch of songs, where rawer production values let you hear the record as it was meant to be heard - a mission statement of confusion at the world that confronts them.
This record never suffers from being samey, just like its predecessor Crisis, and the three vocalists have all improved in different ways - Wade McNeill now seems to be post-hardcore's Mark Lanegan, George Pettit's hoarse cries are a welcome interspersion from constant screaming, and Dallas Green, well, his voice is one of the closest to perfection modern music has - just see Midnight Regulations for reference. There really isn't a weak track on this record, gone are the "woah-ohs" and the constant urgency of old, in its place a real statement and belief in direction and the band sound far better for it. A really excellent record.
For Fans Of: The Bronx, Underoath, Thursday, Emarosa
If You Like This, You'll Love:
City And Colour - Sometimes
Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Thrice - Vheissu
