When I first jump started this baby I was expecting another generic "emo" band. But as the first song winded down, I realized that it wasn't so! The vocals at times remind me of Get Up Kids, but not as high. The music itself is poppy, but still has the rock, and is similar to The Casket Lottery at times. If this was an LP, and there were 5 more songs like this, it probably wouldn't be so great, but for just a 18 minute thinger, it's good.
This release isn't great. It's not bad either. It's just kind of there. They have this sound that is a tad bit similar to Hot Rod Circuit's latest stuff. A little more complicated. The singer hits notes at times that sound like the singer of The Casket Lottery. Too bad his band isn't as good. I think the final song is definitely the stand out on this record. The first track kind of turned me off with the weird change of style 30 seconds into it. Just didn't flow all that well. If you like the previous mentioned bands or anything on Vagrant, check this out. It'll be your cup o' tea.
I'm slightly familiar with Garrison's older material, so this release surprised me to a degree. I don't recall Garrison's music being as poppy as it is now, so older fans might be a little bit disappointed. On this record, Garrison seemed to have drifted more towards the Vagrant Records definition of 'emo', which is not a happy thought at first, but they don't overdo it, nor do it poorly. This is Garrison at the finest they've let us see. The songs are quite catchy, mid-tempo, and well-written as a whole. The vocalist, at times, reminds me of Brandin Lea of Flickerstick, which is a very good thing. While this EP is far from groundbreaking, if you're a fan of anything from the Get Up Kids to Cursive, you might be able to find some enjoyment in this EP. Definitely a must-check-out.
