EP reviews from the month of January and some updates.
User Pleasure Guaranteed by Analogue Heart released via Lonely Ghost
Before I had even heard an Analogue Heart song the GA emo artist stuck in my mind. Whatever the identity of this musician is almost doesn’t matter, as the image of a guitarist with a CRT computer monitor for a head would stand out to just about anybody. Thankfully though, this is not just a treat for the eyes.
It is apparent from the opening riff of track one, “Wise,” Analogue Heart is something special musically. They waste absolutely no time getting to shredding and it only goes up from there. At first I was unsure of where I stood on the vocal production, not so much for the decision to include vocoder, but rather I wondered if I felt the vocal affectation matched the effect being implemented. After repeat listens and absorbing key singing sections, especially the second verse on “Wise,” it’s not only grown on me it’s become one of my favorite parts of User Pleasure Guaranteed. The hard rock elements with the electro breakdowns and heavy auto-tune take me right back to the MySpace days but with a modern twist. Songs like “Phased Out” go all in on the electronic and emo songwriting, it takes me back but also reminds me of how far we’ve come as a scene in terms of songwriting. We even get a mathcore riff played on synth on “Windows 98 Maze.”
This is a near flawless project with the only flaw, if you can call it one is “Thank You for Playing” being a bit long winded at five minutes but even then, it's a fitting end for the record, just not something I’d listen to without the whole body of work present. This is the first contender for EP of the year, I’m not sure how you top this, even in eleven months.
The House & Home and Suntile split released via Open Your Ears
This blog’s relationship with OYER has been very back and forth, which goes especially for my favorite of their bands, House & Home. The Richmond, VA band’s first full length was a 2020 top ten for us, but their last EP left a lot to be desired. On Everything is Sacred my critique was House & Home starting to feel stagnant and I wondered if they would ever progress an inch. They did, thankfully, on the second track of their side of the split, “At the Bottom.” This shows the boys go in a new direction but ultimately also stay true to who they are. Some unique riffs, a chorus with a bit of risk and a short, subtle bridge make a more stand out track by the band. They do give us their usual recipe on track one but “Cellophane” is also pretty strong and certainly a better showing than in 2022. It has an interesting use of backing vocals and it’s catchy but doesn’t stray so deep into pop to the point of feeling disingenuous.
Suntile, who I’m introduced to here, comes off as a pretty intriguing new band as well, especially on their track “Bad Luck.” This is the intersection between slacker rock and shoegaze, and I think it’s a song I’ll for sure revisit. It also has a lot of really good instrumental breaks making it a bit more ear catching. On the other hand, “At Your Feet” sort of leaves me wanting more. I don’t think Suntile leaves much to digest, but it’s still nice to meet them anyway.
Support House & Home Support Suntile
The 3 Faces of Beauty: A Violent Misentrepation of Morgan Montgomery by Kaonashi released via Equal Vision
Something I have always loved about Kaonashi is their ability to sell the absolute, all-encompassing stress of simply being alive. On opening track “Humiliation Ritual” we’re presented with a vivid image of a person simply trying to cross the street, but try as they might, something always gets in the way. Is someone looking at them? Is someone laughing at them? How is it the other pedestrians did it? Shouldn’t they be on their way by now? It’s not just lyrical, this instrumental is anxiety inducing, has so many pauses and yet feels like it's non-stop. You get a crystal-clear image of who the titular character is on track one. Even then, you’ve only scratched the surface. After track one we see Morgan Montgomery vent about wanting a sister to look out for and care about them. Only in the same track to admit to themselves they wish so many people they know to be never heard from again or worse.
As someone who grew up in trauma I relate to “I Hate the Sound of Car Keys” all too well. There is no rest, not in your childhood home and for me not even in the three separate apartments where I lived with my second abuser. You can never let your guard down because you have to expect something will happen to you on a given day because it absolutely will. I can’t really think of a through and through good day until I was in my late twenties because I wasn’t really allowed to have one.
Do you know what it’s like to come out to black parents?
Do you know what it’s like for your life to be everyone else's problem?
Like, the first part no, however.
I was terrified about the fact I was trans for so many reasons. The first being for essentially all of my childhood my father was vocally transphobic and another being my life was totally under the microscope all the time. My family was well known all over three states, there was no being myself outside the house. Imagine you’re six foot three, your father is a local celebrity who makes you hate yourself and you think the closest chance you’ll get to transition is one day you’ll die, maybe someone’s right about reincarnation and you’ll be happy in the next life. I don’t feel like I ever got to grow up, I went from one dangerous nest to the next and it didn’t stop until I was pushing thirty.
As for the record, The 3 Faces of Beauty has to be listened to so intently. So much of this stuff went over my head in passive listening. I think in terms of EPs and what I’m looking for this is perfect. I have not a single critique of this project. It communicates its dilemma, leaving you feeling dreadful about it. It serves as a perfect demonstration of what makes this band work so well.
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