Deep Elm - This Is How I Kill My Tears, Various Artists
Deep Elm Records is now a name renowned for quality releases; so good in fact that rarely does a bad CD pass through the pressing plant. What better way to showcase your roster’s talent than to put out a 20-track CD and make it free? Well that’s exactly what ‘This Is How I Kill My Tears’ is, a brilliant starting point for anyone new to the label or who wants to further sample the delights they have on offer.
Deep Elm dipped their toes into the emo market well before it was cool to do so, so much so that they’ve ditched their ‘Emo Diaries’ series in favour of ‘This Is Indie Rock’, a sign that the label no longer wants to be tagged with the proverbial albatross. On the whole the bands featured on this sampler are groups you probably would sling the emo banner around with, but even then there’s enough variety on offer to hold your interest. What it does emphasise is just how strong the label roster is – whether it be Swede’s Sounds Like Violence, Italy’s Settlefish or the American Red Animal War, there’s a cosmopolitan feel.
There are plenty of standout tracks, so much so that rather than list them all I’d advise you to make a purchase from the Deep Elm store and pick up this disc for free. You may not discover your favourite new band, but I guarantee you will be introduced to several fantastic ones. Fire Devine and Burns Out Bright, the latter of whom have released the EP of the year so far, drive and twist with some strong melodies, while Desert City Soundtrack and Surrounded are far more sombre, yet strangely captivating. Maybe it doesn’t quite work so well on a compilation, but both bands have amazing full-length records you should check out. Lock and Key and Benton Falls provide melodies in abundance too, making this exceptional value.
‘This Is How I Kill My Tears’ is a fantastic insight into a label, which is consistently brilliant. While you could argue the choice of some of the songs may be a little strange (how can you leave off ‘Watership Down’ by Burns Out Bright?!), for a free CD there is absolutely no scope for complaint. When too much music is straight from the factory, all clichéd poses and predictable breakdowns, Deep Elm always come up with bands that believe in what they say and have more passion than most. Sometimes you have to pay for quality – thankfully Deep Elm always buck that trend.
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Deep Elm Records
Paul
