Small Brown Bike: The River Bed (4/5)

Year: 2003
Genre: Emotional Post-Hardcore
Label: Lookout
TRT: 40:33

I heard about this band way back in the day, but never got around to checking them out. Their break-out album Dead Reckoning was released right around the time contemporaries Thursday and Cursive released their own contributions (Full Collapse and Domestica respectively), and they actually did a split with the latter.

Fast forward to a local indie music store going out of business and having a massive sale. I see this album for $7 and think to myself, why not? I had an idea of what to expect from them, and they delivered handsomely.

Their final release, coming two years after the album I'd heard so much about in 2001, is presented in a more mature way, both musically and lyrically. Very catchy songs with interesting drumming, and heartfelt vocals that make you want to stand up and shout along. If you're a fan of any of the bands or albums I've mentioned, you will dig this hard.

01 Deconstruct/Rebuild
02 Safe In Sound
03 A Declaration Of Sorts
04 Scream In The Silence
05 Day And Nightmares
06 Tragically Ending
07 Sincerely Yours
08 What's Missing Is Dead
09 The Outline Of Your Hand Still Remains On My Hand
10 A Lesson To Remember

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The Juliana Theory: Music From Another Room (5/5)

Year: 2001
Label: Tooth & Nail
Genre: Melodic Emotional Indie Rock
TRT: 27:31

While I rather enjoyed Emotion Is Dead, this short EP is what will forever define The Juliana Theory in my collection. Some of their best song-crafting (aside from the abominable Piano Song, which is last so thankfully I never have to listen to), most intelligent lyrics and over-all their most mature release period. Such a shame they followed up this little masterpiece with such an awful full-length (Love), and then just to prove they could do worse, Deadbeat Sweetheart. If this band had instead followed in the vein of what is found in Music From Another Room, they might well still be one of my favorite bands. Such a shame.

01 This Is the End of Your Life
02 Moments...
03 In A Fraction
04 Liability
05 Breathing By Wires
06 Piano Song

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