Braid

Closer To Closed EP

Written by: PP on 26/09/2011 03:07:32

Braid are a pioneering emo band from the 90s. They were active from 1993-2000, during which they released some of the all time classics of what we today refer to as original emo, including their best known release, "Frame And Canvas", in 1998. One band they had a huge influence on was The Get Up Kids, who eventually grew to be a much bigger and more influential band than Braid ever were. It has been eleven long years since the release of their double non-album tracks record "Movie Music" volumes one and two, during which the musical landscape has changed radically, and perhaps that's why Braid felt that it was time to stage a comeback in the form of a new EP, "Closer To Closed" EP.

Longtime fans of the band need not to worry about the eleven year break in writing new material, because the EP makes it sound like it was only last year that the band released "Frame And Canvas". Their signature lightweight melodies and feather like vocals are still the focal point of the expression, which is best described as a sweet emo sound, one that easily rates among the most laid back and relaxed you'll come across in the genre. It's a style that Everyone Everywhere has copied to the letter, but since they're a retrospective emo band referencing the legends long gone and they do their part very well, it's no biggie, but lets just say that if you like those guys there's absolutely no way you wouldn't be into Braid's new EP.

All four tracks on the EP are catchy. Not in a pop-oriented way, but rather in a subtler, 'this melody is so mellow it latches onto me' kind of way. "The Right Way" might be the exception with its slightly louder and more direct vibes, but once you descend to "Universe Or Worse", for instance, Braid are almost treading in post-rock territory with mathy guitars and subtle build ups, and an overall unhurried and light expression. Overall, these four songs might not be a part of anyone's best of 2011 list, but they are enticing enough for the older fans to go back and re-listen to the classics, and to incite newer fans to go check those records out based on the few tracks on offer here.

7

Download: The Right Time, Universe Or Worse
For the fans of: Everyone Everywhere, The Get Up Kids, Tigers Jaw, Mineral
Listen: Bandcamp

Release date 16.08.2011
Polyvinyl Records

Braid - The Right Time by Polyvinyl Records

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