16-05-2011

Hope for the music scene

Oh dear God. Mixtapes have yet again released an extended play record. Available on 7", cd and mp3 via Animal Style records and their bandcamp.

Label: Animal Style Records
Year: 2011
Tracks:
1) Taking A Year Off
2) Hope Is For People
3) You'd Better Bring More Dudes
4) Where I Live
5) The New Ride The Lightning
(Bonus: Where I Live (acoustic))






Well, I expected great stuff. The track that got released in advance was the title track Hope Is For People. At first I was like: cool. :) Then I was like: awesome! :D It's probably one of their longest songs (well, they do repeat the last chorus 2 times and just do handclaps for 15 seconds) but holds as steady and sounds as tight as ever. Lyrically, the same: anti-sociality and love for music. The chorus is pretty damn spot-on, semantically speaking. Good stuff.
After preordering it, I got a mail with the typical 'record delay' deal, so I was privileged to download the record from the Internets. And well, the repeat button has done its work today.
Taking A Year Off is a blast of pop punk gunfire. Classic dual vocals, lyrical themes and musical balance. Drums are really really tight, melodies are fun as hell, bass gets through just right and Ryan's and Maura's vocals neither are overrepresented nor underrepresented. Overall, this EP is mainly electric stuff, but it gets combined with acoustic parts, mostly at the beginning of the songs. It doesn't always sound natural, but it does give the best of two worlds.
You'd Better Bring More Dudes is exactly half and half. Great song, good vibes, but nothing extraordinary.
Where I Live, however, is a god damn jam! Catchy as fuck, simplistic but powerful chorus with bland whoa's. The backing 'whooooooooaaaaaaaaaooooooooaaaaa' in the second verse is absolutely stunning, though. I'm mostly diggin Maura's parts in this song, in particular her above-mentioned backing vocals and the bridge part. Her vocal range gets full option and she sounds pretty sexy. (Yeah, I'm totally in love with her.) This is an interesting song because it shows they're still working hard to put out quality songs with something new once in a while.
Finally, after The Real Hotel California, Mixtapes come with The New Ride The Lightning. It's fast and melodic, so it's good. I don't know what Metallica would think of this.
Done. Well, the acoustic version of Where I Live is pretty awesome as well. At least they don't put it on another single like Against Me! would do.

If this EP is any indication on the evolution of their sound, I'm guessing their going in a faster and more electric direction. I can't complain. I won't complain either if I'm completely wrong. Just letting these guys (and gal) play around on their instruments is enough to make me happy. Even if they play rap music.

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