Brandtson has always been a guilty pleasure type band. I have the Letterbox and Dial In Sounds CDs and listen to them from time to time. When I got the promo for this ep, I checked it out almost immediately.
This cd was like a videogame that is alright but has so much shit to unlock it just gets tedious. During the first song ("You Do the Science") you are feeling the beginning of the game. First couple levels or so. You are "in the zone" so to speak. Second song ("On Three") is like the midway point of the game where things are starting to definitely pick up. You aren't really sure if you are near the end or not. The third song ("Circa 1991") and you are already on the final boss. It couldn't have finally come by this fast. You have pretty much seen all there is to see. You have heard Brandtson play upbeat pop-emo to mid-tempo to slow stuff. You start up your second time through the game when you are at song four ("In the Pills"). You see a little bit of stuff you hadn't seen before but nothing all that interesting. Fifth song ("Ain't No Trip To Cleveland") and you are ready to turn this game off as it has the same feel as the first two songs. You are questioning if getting all the bonuses are really worth it. Sixth song ("In a Word") and you are so incredibly bored, you decide to rearrange your cd collection instead of listening to this slow closing track.
Overall, while this cd has some very catchy hooks, it's just not attention grabbing enough to make you sit through the whole thing more than once. Go support them on tour though as they were just robbed of everything and anything and can definitely use it.