The Homecoming - Chasing Ghosts

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 31 Aug 2018

Tracklist:

1. The Waiting Game

2. Darling, Dearest, Dead.

3. Coming Down

4. Neverafter

5. Autopsy

Here's another band that I stumbled across on Bandcamp. The Homecoming is a punk quartet from Chicago (Illinois, US) and "Chasing Ghosts" is their latest release. Taking inspiration from many of the current crop of well established alt-rock/pop-punk bands, they've been plying their trade since forming in 2016. I've been unable to find their full discography anywhere, so apologies for not being able to provide further info. 

This is typically American sound punk (unsurprisingly) that would be at home on any major radio/tv station or at similarly big music festival. EP opener The Waiting Game is a mid-paced number with all of the clean trappings you’d expect. The Homecoming sound mature and assured though, not just like some kids aping their idols. For anybody reading this who ventured to Slam Dunk Festival in the UK over the weekend just gone, this might just rekindle fond memories. Darling, Dearest, Dead. is really well-written and the guitar work is spot on. Yes it’s inoffensive but that’s the whole point. They’re not being too clever and clearly know their sound.

The vocal melodies on Coming Down are super clean thanks to the mixing/mastering and they match the big instrumentation too. It’s a bit cheesy at times but that’s no reason to side-step it. There are times when heavy music gets a bit too much and we’re all suckers for melody really. The pop hooks continue on Neverafter, which is a jam made specially for the summer sun and carefree days. There is a slightly harder edge to it on a couple of occasions but this is erased by the gang singing and misty-eyed lyrics that make it poignant. 

As one of their influences, I’m yet to here any AFI in their music though final song Autopsy does have more than a nod to Alkaline Trio, which is fine. At risk of pigeonholing The Homecoming, they’ve settled on a sound that’s familiar and that works well for them, They play their music with genuine passion and expression, which is all you can ask. The current US Pop-punk scene is a big old rabbit hole to explore, but “Chasing Ghosts” is a great place to start.

You can stream and purchase "Chasing Ghosts" from all the major digital outlets. If you pay for it via Bandcamp below, all of the money received will be donated to Planned Parenthood and ACLU in the US, following the recent abhorrent laws that were passed making abortion illegal in Alabama and Georgia:-

The Homecoming - https://www.facebook.com/thehomecomingUS/

Cursive - Vitriola

Labels: Big Scary Monsters/15 Passenger

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 05 Oct 2018

Tracklist:

1. Free To Be Or Not To Be You And Me

2. Pick Up The Pieces

3. It's Gonna Hurt

4. Under The Rainbow

5. Remorse

6. Ouroboros

7. Everending

8. Ghost Writer

9. Life Savings

10. Noble Soldier/Dystopian Lament

The final quarter of 2018 looks set to be just as exciting musically as the (soon to be) previous three and a new record from Omaha, Nebraska's Cursive is a pretty big deal. "Vitriola" is the band's eighth full-length, in a career spanning over two-decades and is their first in six years. It's due for release on October 5th via their own 15 Passenger label and via the UK's Big Scary Monsters. Cursive are heading out on a US tour in October & November following the release of "Vitriola" and already have a big tour booked along the West-side of the US for January & February of next year.

“Vitriola” is less an album of songs and more a drama set to music. Free To Be Or Not To Be You And Me is dark in everything from the lyrics to the melodies and the instrumentation. It sits somewhere between rock and punk, with old pop sensibilities and indie adding to the mystique. I hear some similarities to Nightmare Of You (Brandon Reilly of The Movielife’s other band) during Pick Up The Pieces, which is danceable but in a oddly menacing way. Twisted emotion and post-punk darkness exist during It’s Gonna Hurt, where Cursive look both inward and outward to describe the state of things at the present time. Obviously, it’s born out of the upheaval that’s plagued the US over the last couple of years and it focuses on a certain place and time, at least that’s how it seems anyway. 

Under Rainbow is littered with keyboards and cello that really brings it to life. Both instruments are present throughout the album but here they seem to bring the record out of the dark. I’m a sucker for well-written ballads featuring stirring piano and Remorse is definitely one of those. When the guitars and the strings kick in it’s filled with blurry eyed majesty that brings a whole new complexion to Cursive’s music. The band’s feelings are then distilled into six-minutes of noise-rock and electronica on Ouroboros. If you listen to the lyrics carefully it will no doubt make you raise a smile, especially if you’r of the cynical disposition. If Brand New wasn’t so fond of slow-mo on ‘Deja Entendu” then they probably would have sounded a bit more like Cursive do on Everending (I apologise for using that comparison, but it sort of makes sense to me). I’m basically trying to say that it’s a pretty uplifting song. 

Another thing that’s uplifting about the record is the melodies, especially those employed during it’s second half. The guitar melody that graces Ghost Writer proves that point and is only a small part of a song that grows in catchiness as it goes. They mourn the dissolving of happiness that’s brought on by money during Life Savings and the sentiment makes perfect sense given the narrative of the album. It ends with gloriously sampled noise. Cursive end with Noble Soldier/Dystopian Lament, which is like sinking into the warm arms of acceptance. Acceptance that while this world may be fucked, there’s not a lot you yourself can do apart from to try and be as good as you can to those few people that you call friends and loved ones. 

“Vitriola” may be so far removed from the usual harsh and heavy music that features on this small blog but it actually shares a lot more with that than you’d think. The imagery and unease that it creates is palpable while the musicality and production means it has wider appeal. Maybe not the sound of the end of the world then but the sound to end a year that’s been tough on a lot of people and in a lot of ways. Cursive once again tug at the heartstrings of even the coldest heart.

Stream Under The Rainbow and Life Savings via the 15 Passenger bandcamp page below, where "Vitriola" is available to pre-order on all formats:-

Cursive - https://www.facebook.com/cursive/

UK/Europe pre-orders can be placed via Big Scary Monsters here - http://www.bsmrocks.com/products

15 Passenger - https://www.facebook.com/15Passenger/

Big Scary Monsters - https://www.facebook.com/bigscarymonsters/

Elessar - Is This All We Are EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 27 Apr 2018

Tracklist:

1. Half Love

2. Stay

3. In All Honesty

4. Careless

5. Saudade

I'm going for something a little easier tonight. Elessar is a four-piece emo/alt-rock band from Gloucester, England. They released their debut EP "Reflections" back in 2016 and have recently released this, their newest EP on cd and on digital platforms. They recently went out on a short tour in support of "Is This All We Are" with fellow Brit up-and-comers Halfway Hope and EDM/Rock band Hyde Project, taking them to London, Leeds & Manchester amongst other UK cities. 

Elessar kick things off in a heavier fashion than I was expecting on EP opener Half Love. Driving guitars give way to clean vocals and instrumentation that’s reminiscent of bands like Hidden In Plain View and Drive-Thru era bands of old. It’s catchy and while the sound is very polished, it’s got enough heft as well. There are moments throughout where Elessar chooses slightly off-kilter song-structures in place of the more standard 4/4 time signatures. It shows through on Stay and proves that they’ve grown up with many of the UK’s more intelligent alt-rock/post-hardcore bands. It’s great stuff so far. 

The gentler verses of In All Honesty and the impressive percussion/guitar work propels “Is This All We Are” further into memorable territory with all of the true emotion and sensitivity that many bands struggle to find, even with more years of experience behind them. I’ve sort of eluded to it above but it’s like going back in time a decade or more, when the sub-genre wasn’t so washed out and thrived on variation. The punk-laden uptempo approach of Careless gives off a ton of energy, in the same way that Cave In did on “Antenna”, while the atmosphere that swirls through EP closer Saudade is very much tempered with restraint and relief. it paints a picture of loss and pain but does so in a euphoric way. 

My comparisons may be at odds with those of others, but they reflect the feelings that Elessar provoked in me. The UK has a rich history and present day when it comes to alt-rock and melodic bands. Elessar will be a huge part of the scene in years to come, hopefully and right now they’re are a band that we can rightly be proud of.

Elessar have "Is This All We Are" available for streaming and digital download from the usual outlets and you can here Half Love below:-

CD digipack versions and merch can be picked up via their bigcartel page here - https://elessaruk.bigcartel.com

Elessar - https://www.facebook.com/ElessarBandUK/