Every so often a band with a massive buzz seems to dominate their genre. Last year, in the webzine world anyway, Finch certainly made a massive impression. In 2003 there has been a hell of a lot of talk about A Static Lullaby, basically Finch gone heavier and darker. They’ve been lauded as the best new band around and have even been linked with Columbia Records – not bad eh? Still, having all this hype is all well and good but bands need to be able to cut the mustard. Thankfully ‘And Don’t Forget To Breathe’ does that with aplomb.
Ten tracks of hate filled ‘screamo’ (I hate that word), ASL thrash and hack their way through 40 minutes of one of the better records I’ve heard this year. It certainly doesn’t have the commercial appeal of a Finch, or even a Thursday come to think of it, despite the odd poppier moment. But it has a charm and an aggression that fuses well with Joe’s melodic vocals/screams. In short, Ferret Records have this years ‘it’ band. What ASL do well is that despite being harder than Bruce Willis in Die Hard, they mix this ten-ton sledgehammer approach with some excellent breakdowns where the guitars are turned down, allowing everyone to get some respite. The dynamics really make this record, allowing Joe to mix from ear-piercing scream to the sweetest of sounds in seconds. The piercing intro of ‘Nightmare Win 6-0’ starts things off just as ASL mean to continue – guitars fly off in all directions and the death defying scowl cuts to the bittersweet chorus.
The lyrics on this record also stand out, as they do on many of the releases in the genre. Very detailed and graphic, at times disturbing, it’s always imaginitive. The awesome ‘Love To Hate, Hate To Me’ not only spits like a Cobra but it also reads like a clever suicide note of lost love – “I’ve swallowed nails so I can never say your name.” ‘Withered’ seems to tell a tale of alcohol (or some kind of solvent) abuse, and while not one to usually wallow in misery, the line “misery is so beautiful, I need this,” will surely strike a chord with a disaffected youth. Slower and less agressive than some of the other songs, Joe sounds a lot like Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw on the track. ‘Lipgloss and Letdown’ sounds a little like ‘Ape Dos Mill’ too.
‘A Sip Of Wine Chased With Cyanide’ is fantastic, ‘We Go To Eleven’ kicks and spits while the amazing ‘The Shooting Star That Destroyed Us’ surpasses everything you’d previously heard over the last 25 mins. Vivid, descriptive and brilliant, this is one of my favourite songs of the year so far and sure to be an underground hit. ‘Annunciate While You Masticate’ is just as good with the guitars bouncing off the walls and the screams as bloodcurdingly good as you’ll hear.
In short, A Static Lullaby are set for bigger things. An album that is as clever as it is aggressive, it’s one that any fan of the post-hardcore genre should really have in their collection. I somehow think that this time next year we will probably see them at the same levels as the likes of Thursday, Thrice and Taking Back Sunday. Get into them now before you end up borrowing it from your kid brother…
www.astaticlullaby.com
Paul