For me, The Drama Summer was always one of those bands that I heard the name of every few months, but never sat down and listened to. In the oversaturated genre that is melodic rock, a band must really stand out to get heard and receive respect. Upon listening to The Drama Summer's debut EP on Eulogy Recordings, I can say that even though the band is good at what they do, they still have miles to go before they can shine. I had high hopes for this album, knowing that Steve Soboslai from Punchline produced it, but The Drama Summer falls short of what their producer's band is currently doing.
Make a Move kicks off with "We Make Rejection Look Beautiful". This track follows the standard formula for a melodic rock song, and because of this is equipped with an incredibly catchy chorus that will find its way into the heads of many. "Don't Go", Make a Move's stand out track, shows the most promise for The Drama Summer. This song slows the EP down with a somewhat cheesy, yet touching, song of lost love. The lyrics are almost begging to be put on despondent teenagers' AOL profiles. The instrumentation and vocals on this song remind me a lot of Armor For Sleep, and I think if the band was to continue in this direction their upcoming full length could put them on the map.
Basically, Make a Move is a good EP, but has very little replay value. Pop-punk snobs will not take kindly to this record, but fans of bands like Hawthorne Heights and Mae will probably dig this band a lot. The Drama Summer is not a band to count out just yet. But until their Eulogy Recordings full-length drops they will have to deservedly remain in the depths of obscurity.
