Moose Blood

I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time

Written by: PP on 19/10/2014 23:24:59

Here's another band who have certainly been listening to the Have Mercy record: Moose Blood from Canterbury, UK. But unlike the Grandview record that I reviewed just before this one, Moose Blood aren't a carbon copy and instead merely use the record as a source of inspiration as they offer their take on the slightly dreamy, contemplative approach to indie-flavored emo / alternative rock on debut album "I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time". The same bands can be name dropped here as before -- Balance & Composure, The Jealous Sound, The Dangerous Summer, Strange Vacation et cetera -- but additionally the band occasionally ventures towards late 90s style melodically ringing, nostalgia-driven alternative rock. "Kelly Kapowski", the highlight track on the album, is a good example where you're thinking of bands like Samiam and Crime In Stereo in particular. And fans of modern emo rock get their fix as well with "Swim Down", which channels early Taking Back Sunday in its melody, albeit in a sadder and more melancholic form.

That being said, the similarities between Have Mercy and Moose Blood are fairly easy to spot. Opener "Cherry" includes a very similar quiet/loud dynamic with somber vocals morphing into semi-screams to depict passion in the right places, and they even have a song about hair as well: "Anyway" basically mirrors "Let's Talk About Your Hair" in terms of lyrical content. But on tracks like "Pups", the band are much louder, more active, and faster than Have Mercy were on any tracks. There's still an overload on emotional charge, considering the track is practically screamed all the way through, and of course artistic depth and exploration of what is possible to do with introverted emo as a genre. "Chin Up", for example, should give cold chills to most Brand New fans out there, given how similar song dynamics and structure is used here.

Lyrically, many of the songs deal with the negative aspects of drinking, depression, and relationships, and do so in an intelligent manner that makes the listener think. There are no happy-go-lucky melodies to go around, just deep, emotional melodies heavy on melancholy and reflection. And while the first half of the album is rather quiet and far entrenched in the world of indie-flavored emo, the string of tracks from "Pups" through "Swim Down", "Bukowski", and "Kelly Kapowski" is nothing short of awe-inspiring it is melodically ringing guitars, uplifting melodies that firmly place the band into the world of alternative rock. This pack of songs in particular is so good that it has earned Moose Blood plenty of hype and praise in the underground, which is why it wouldn't be surprising to see the band blow up in the next year or two as they continue on high-profile tours like the Balance And Composure one they are currently on. This kind of emotional power simply does not go unnoticed for long, especially when you consider that as a package, "I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time" consists of virtually only great songs throughout the whole album. A must purchase for any fan of the dreamy, contemplative form of emo that doesn't have anything to do with the mid 90s revival, but offers instead a modern, mature take on the genre and a moment of self-reflection on what the word 'emo' really means in 2014.

Download: Bukowski, Kelly Kapowski, Pups, Anyway, Chin Up
For the fans of: Have Mercy, Balance And Composure, Samiam, Brand New
Listen: Facebook

Release date 07.10.2014
No Sleep Records

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