I have absolutely no need to fill you in on this band as I’m sure if you been within 50 ft of any number of people in the punk scene, this bands name will of probably crossed their lips at some point, and this is where it all began with their 1999 release, ‘Waiting’. It wasn’t this record which put them on the map though, that was through the success of the critically acclaimed ‘Full Collapse’ but the seeds were sown on this nine track release, and everything you have come to associate with the New Jersey pack is here. Thunderous riffs, screaming until your blue in the face and beautiful mellow moments are all traits you associate with the band, and they are all here.
It is hard to put your finger on why Thursday produces this popular form of music so well. To a certain extent, you could even call them the forefathers of the aptly dubbed ‘screamo’ genre having been at the front of the pack since the increasing trend of bands becoming angry, became so popular. Coincidence this album was released at the turn of the century and since then kids have wanted to scream instead of using three chords and singing about girls? I think not.
‘Porcelain’ brings the album to life with a haunting track about suicide which chills you to the bone with an upbeat tempo which is leashed by the matter in hand. ‘This Side of Brightness’ carries it on efficiently enough with a soothing violin introduction luring you into a barrage of noise before the ambience returns and is by far one of the finest tracks Thursday have produced in their short yet illustrious history. ‘Ian Curtis’ is deceptively upbeat to begin with yet by the end the angst and screams are begging for your attention in an extremely emotional track while ‘Streaks in the Sky’ is slightly lackluster in comparison but still manages to keep the trademark lulls of sound and screams to an acceptable standard.
‘In Transmission’ will always hold a place in my heart as the first Thursday song I had the pleasure of listening to, and it still appeals today even though it seems to be lacking a certain charm of other Thursday efforts. ‘Dying in New Brunswick‘ features some extremely emotional and heartfelt lyrics which can’t help but touch you, and complete with the emotion from the bitter sweet vocals of Geoff Rickley the song is relatively untouchable in terms of criticism. ‘The Dotted Line’ nudges the pace along a bit, while the best is arguably saved for last with the spoken word ‘Where the Circle Ends’. If such a song is done wrong, it can backfire in your face, but as you have probably guessed by now, Thursday have no such problems and the song is classy to the max.
This is the album that triggered the beginning of the post-hardcore revival and influenced what seems like a million bands since. Thursday seem to create the sublime hooks and faultless lyrics with ease and it is no surprise that their meteoric rise has come so quickly. Minor problems on this release such as production quality are minor qualms on an otherwise faultless release. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of ‘Full Collapse’ but that is no criticism at all.
Jay