Sometimes, Nostalgia

Band: Donovan Wolfington

Album: Sometimes, Nostalgia

Genre: Indie Rock/Emo

Released: 11/21/2011

Rating: 8/10

http://donovanwolfingtonmusic.bandcamp.com/

As soon as Sometimes, Nostalgia opens with the the intro riff from "Makeshift," listeners can tell that they are in for a delicious, catchy treat. 

As soon as vocalist Neil sang "'Cuz every time I see you I just wanna have sex with you," I was hooked. The lyrics on this album flip from somber to playful, and they always have that taste of honesty that makes this kind of music so enjoyable. These are the kinds of lyrics that get stuck in your head and never come out.

Keyboardist Savannah's angelic backing vocals are the perfect foil to Neil's angst-ridden shouts, and their choral chemistry is one of the strongest aspects of this album. The "don't tell me that" exchange at the end of "Spiders" and the "American Spirits" chorus are both perfect examples of this. 

The guitar work on this album is great; Neil and Matt certainly have a knack for pumping out the perfect riffs to compliment the intended mood." Christian and Max (bass and drums respectively) both play their parts very well. Unfortunately, the bass can be a bit difficult to hear at times. In fact, the overall sound of the album is a bit weak (I don't know if this is due to poor production or what; shit, I barely know what I'm talking about half the time). Poor quality or not, this is still a kick-ass EP.

Closing track "Friends," while still a very good song, feels out of place when held up against the rest. The fuzzy, sedated-White-Stripes feeling is one that they can pull off quite well, but it feels a bit lonely on what is an otherwise emotional, energetic, and sometimes aggressive release.

Keep your eyes on these guys. Head over to their Bandcamp, download the EP, and give them some money for their time and effort.

Best Tracks: Spiders, American Spirits

Welcome Home, Kiddo

Band: Our Sunday Affairs

Album: Welcome Home, Kiddo

Genre: Emo

Release: 10/12/2011

Rating: 8/10

http://oursundayaffairs.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-home-kiddo

There is absolutely no excuse to simultaneously like emo and not like this album.

Welcome Home, Kiddo opens with a slow, atmospheric intro of about 45 seconds long, which transitions into second track "Curbing Your Enthusiasm," and by the time vocalist Jake comes in, it's obvious that these kids don't fuck around. I'm not using the term "kids" loosely; on the track "Birdseed" from March 2011's Transitions, Jake says, "I've sang too many songs about love for someone only fifteen." I fucking wish I had this kind of potential when I was a Freshman. 

Jake is up there with Jim Marburger of I Hate Myself in terms of vocal ability. When he speaks, it's easy to understand what he's saying and know that he's sincere. When he shouts, his pain is obvious. His razor-blade screams are piercing, and he could be easily mistaken for someone ten years older. The sections with gang vocals are executed very well, and they never seem to be trying too hard.

Lyrically, there are a great deal of strong points. In standout track "A Texas Sized Solution," the opening lines ("The summer/Shot herself in front of me/'These things take time'/Were the only/Words she ever left for me") are delivered with an intensity rivaled by few, and listeners will be left wishing that they could scream like that. However, while there are many strong lyrics, there are also a few that lack the punch that others don't, but they shouldn't detract from what is a lyrically tight album overall.

That being said, Tom (guitar), Ryan (Drums), and Donald (Bass) can easily hold their own instrumentally. Many riffs have me pausing my girlfriend mid-sentence because "this next part is so fancy," and the drums are rarely boring (especially during the "Face the facts" section of "Texas" and the end of "Enthusiasm"). Bassist Donald is clearly not content with playing simple eighth-notes forever, and he displays proficiency as a musician throughout the album. In fact, all three of them are very talented musicians. The guitar work is reminiscent of bands like American Football without relying on too many pre-established twinkly norms. The drums compliment the songs well; the necessary rhythm is always there and some fills will leave fellow drummers impressed.

The album ends on "Your Trip To Italy Was A Strange One But You Are Our Brother And We Will Be Ok," which starts with a somber arpeggio that leads into one of the stronger vocal performances on the album. When the final notes fade out, I was left wanting more. Luckily, their previous releases are available on their Bandcamp for as much as you want to pay. Do them a favor and download everything and throw some money at them. They surely deserve it.

Best Tracks: A Texas Sized Solution, Your Trip To Italy

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