State Lines

For The Boats

Written by: PP on 16/10/2013 20:11:25

"For The Boats", the sophomore album by State Lines, sees the band take a significant departure sound wise both from their debut album as well as from their self-titled EP last year. Instead of expressing their anguish through The Menzingers styled shouted melodies, they now source from a much darker place musically, and place themselves comfortably within that gray zone between emotional indie rock and punk rock, not really fitting in either category fully.

What's more, it's an improvement in pretty much every way, now presenting a sound that's full of character, one that's relatable, one that's sing-alongable thanks to the murky, scratchy singing style of their vocalist, which brings to mind Crime In Stereo among others. Lyrically, the album is one of those that I've recently been raving about where catchphrases are scattered evenly across the record to make songs stick out and last in your memory for ages. Already the opening song, "For The Boats", has a passage that stands out immediately: "Like a lit cigarette, you're killing me with every breath, And every breath's another regret. You're a cigarette. You're cancer in a fucking stick". It does so especially because of the anguished manner the song pours out of the singer's vocal cords, echoing across the purposefully minimalistic soundscape that mostly consists of fuzzed out guitars and lo-fi production to enhance the mood of the album.

The mood, in particular, is something to take away from the album. It's one of frustration and anger, where you can almost sense the singer to be in a dark place that he's singing himself out of. His performance is nothing short of fantastic, leaving a long-lasting impression after you're done listening to the record. It's a grower type of album, so give the songs some time, but "For The Boats" is surely one of the most interesting sonic experiments within the realm of punk rock and indie, sure to appeal to fans of Brand New and The Menzingers alike.

8

Download: For The Boats, Linger, Shit For Brains, Shady Existence, Garages
For the fans of: The Menzingers, Crime In Stereo, Brand New
Listen: Facebook

Release date 28.05.2013
Tiny Engines

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