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Some Breaking News Align |
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Here's some breaking news… there's a disturbing weather pattern taking shape off… Minneapolis. Well maybe not, but something's definitely rocking the neighborhood and despite the miracle taking place in the Metrodome this year, this is something way bigger and much more deadly. The band is called Align, simple enough title, direct, succinct… the music however is another matter altogether. Embracing a broad range of styles steeped deeply in the Quicksand method of attack, they're core is Hard, their delivery, fashionably loud, yet a melodic mystique balances the equation nicely making for a seasoned approach with an angst quality that chisels away at the so-called "Indie-Rock" label and previously predetermined environmental aspects of ease of use labels. "Some Breaking News" comes toward you suddenly-"Bell Curve," "Fabled," "Tabs Taken," with arms flailing wildly and reckless intent, though there lurks a sensitive side beneath the frowned exterior. "Basement Door" shows first real evidence here by effectively muffling the preceding dissonance with a more tuneful and well sung approach, that while it picks up steam leading into the chorus, it's overall design is a near welcome relief and outstanding delegate for first single. Align's fallen in with some pretty impressive company during their relatively short run, particularly bands like Avail, Gameface, the typically "Emo-Core" types, though they'd have little trouble fitting in with the spike-crowned and booted anarchists among us, and blazing through tracks one to ten here it's obvious Align's is a style that sets no boundaries, offers significant commercial resistance, and weighs heavily toward the mind over matter principle. And here, a fitting place to lead into "Weigh Me Down," nearly an epic construct, the song embraces the unrestrained passion they've long since established half an album ago while tuning things down to a dull minor-key roar and the urgent vocals of Jeremy Jensen soon gain the foothold carrying the "weight" as it were on one of the album's highlights. "Some Breaking News" is amplified chaos mixed with technical proficiency-a pressure-filled package of channeled aggression that'll still endure its share of growing pains but could well be on their way to reaching front page status in the not too distant future. Released by Iguana Records: http://www.iguanarecords.com/news/index.php Review by Vinnie Apicella
[va85@columbia.edu] |