The Spill Canvas's debut LP Sunsets and Car Crashes showed us that in high school the members of the band were very, very, sad. With their sophomore follow-up, One Fell Swoop, it looks like the boys are out to prove they're still not over it.
Self proclaimed as 'intense and emotionally driven,' The Spill Canvas are the type of band that clich's are derived from. Musically they vary between acoustic ballads and three cord melodies. Their lyrics deal with topics such as heartbreak, suicide, talking smack over the internet, and imaginary friends. Adding to all this, in their promo picture we see not only black dress shirts and ties, but the coveted camo shorts as well!
Despite being nearly laughable at times; there is a lot to be said for a band that plays their type of music well. On One Fell SwoopThe Spill Canvas are unapologetic about their 'emotionally driven' pop/rock, and you can hear this sincerity in nearly every song. Lines such as 'I'm on my knees so are you/unfortunately for the wrong reasons' and 'What do ya say would ya marry me today!' are said with such conviction that they become enjoyable in a bizarre sort of way.
Given; I could mistake the majority of tunes on this record for one of a million other bands, but doesn't take away from the fact that the music is enjoyable. High points come in the tracks 'Valiant' and 'Self Conclusion', which are almost enough to put aside any cynicisms toward the genre. Another notable fact is that the band never attempts to add screaming into the mix, which is definitely a plus.
This is not an album I would suggest readily admitting to liking if you're at all concerned with the credibility of your music taste; however, One Fell Swoop has been my favorite guilty pleasure of the year.
