What does Unseemlier sound like?
I've been mulling that question as I listen to I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere for a while now. As I listen to more and more Sell The Heart releases, The band is from Boston, but seemingly influenced by late '80s DC. It's heavy, but more with hardcore-like vocals shouted over moving, building guitars and melodies. It's kind of melodic post-hardcore with a lot of shouting. I'll call it moody post-hardcore since the term emo has taken on new connotations.
Out of simplicity, I'd rather just call it "punk." It has that spirit, that vibe, and that short attention span. The opener "Lifetrap" delivers forceful, melodic hardcore, while "Power Chord Career Criminal" kind of gives it away in the title, but it's a great, punchy song that's perfect for a cathartic jump into the pit. It even drops some effective f-bombs and it's tough to make those hold much power these days. I'll use that as a metaphor: Unseemlier has a knack for taking the familiar and making it fresh and poignant. Another song that hits a little more personally is "I Know I'll Love It, That's Why I Hate It," a midtempo song heavily in that '80s DC realm.
One of the things Unseemlier does really well is mix it up. This vocal style often gets too same-y over a whole record, but the variety of guitar tones and song structures keeps it fresh. The occasional second vocalist adds another layer that helps it pop and keeps the songs from running together. "I've Got That Dog In Me," for example, features vocal tradeoffs and the bright tones of Andrea Neuenfeldt are a perfect contrast to the harsher style of Mike Assatly. Very loosely speaking, the two singers are so different I briefly think of screamo, but...it ain't that. It's just a nice pairing of vocalists for a combined effect that's more about harmony and flow than blunt disjointedness.
If you like your punk heavy and melodic, yet a little bit unpredictable and challenging, Unseemlier may be for you.
