You should never judge a band by their name alone, but it’s impossible to ignore it too. Carly Cosgrove is an emo-style band that chose a band name that sounds like a person’s name -- it seems to be a long-running tradition in the genre. I point that out because Carly Cosgrove the band has a lot of traditional elements, and I say that in a positive way. I don’t think it’s a secret that emo is an easy genre to bag on but there are also great bands to come from the scene. I don’t care much for the turn of the century platinum-selling bands that wore that label but I dig the early Dischord scene and have respect for the Midwestern take that came in-between. But this is going in the wrong direction. It’s not a history lesson -- let's talk about The Cleanest Of Houses Are Empty.
On their second album, the sound is melodic and accessible. Pop-structured, crisp, and clean -- yet honest. It’s rock ‘n’ roll from the heart, and that always wins, whatever style umbrella it falls under. To pinpoint Carly Cosgrove on the great emo timeline, I’d take the gritty, personal tone of The Get-Up Kids but with a heavier, soaring rock element more on par with the pop punk big stage bands of the early Aughts.
“Steered Straight” is a 30-second acoustic intro that bleeds directly into the lead single, “You Old Dog,” an electric and punchy 3-minute jam with a punchy refrain that puts it all out there. The intro track initiates a sense of open vulnerability, but “You Old Dog” quickly turns on that, establishing a firm line between taking shit versus standing up to it. It’s a key point in the overall tone. While I brand this sound as emo and I’ve been talking about the genre’s past, this record is very contemporary in tone, with themes of empowerment and pride to counter the self-awareness of personal weaknesses. It’s emo for an era that actually understands mental health and celebrates our personal differences instead of casting blame. I’m casting this as guitar music, but it’s really the rhythm section that sets Carly Cosgrove apart. The basslines in songs like “You Old Dog” and “Random Dancing” are powerful, steering the ship and setting up the listener for the big hooks that will get body jumping when they hit the big moments. Most of the 3-chord punk I enjoy is built around catharsis. Carly Cosgrove’s mood is more contemplative and looking forward.
You’ll get more diverse influence in songs like “Here’s A Fork” or the quirkier “Fluff My Pillow” but both maintain that steady core sound. There are hints of jangle pop and alternative rock and some angular guitars and math rock at times, but it never loses sight. If you like rhythmic, guitar-driven music with succinct time frames and real meaning, Carly Cosgrove will hit the right mood. To pull a couple themes from “What Are You, A Cop?” which is probably the Act Three big emotional peak of the record: instead of feeling “too awful, too often,” the band encourages you to “take it in… make yourself at home… and put your mind at ease.” This style of music often grows a little stale for me over a full-length, but Carly Cosgrove does a really good job at mixing up their style just enough, from vocals to tempo to dynamics, keeping the momentum flowing from start to finish.
