Labels: Deep Elm
Review by: Mike Whelan
Lewis are good. They remind me of a time when “emo” was Christie Front Drive and Mineral, not Saves the Day and kids in baggy trousers. While they retain elements of the old emo sound Lewis bring their own slant to it, using melodic guitars and synthesisers in order to create a deeply layered effect.
I’ve been disappointed with several recent Deep Elm releases but this record may well mark a return to form for the label. There is more emphasis placed on intricate guitar work and emotive vocals on this album than I’ve heard in a long time. The opening track, “The Cruelest Month,’ uses these effects and is one of the strongest songs on the album, using hushed vocals and sparse synthesisers to create a sombre mood.
Lewis experiment with several different kinds of sound across the record. “Bitter Days’ is one of the loudest tracks, with the up-tempo drums making a stark contrast to the quieter tracks which surround it; “The Path That Strays’ reminds me of Sunny Day Real Estate with its loud chorus and melodic guitarwork. The closing title track, “Even So’ is another great song, with vocals that build to a crescendo across the length of the track bringing to mind Mineral or The Gloria Record. Indeed, the influence of these two bands is apparent across the album, but Lewis seem to have taken the sound up a notch, whereas Mineral could be a little “samey’ Lewis manage to have enough breadth and imagination to make every track stand out.
Lewis join a clutch of bands from Texas who are making great music nowadays, and their connection to Deep Elm will ensure that they reach a wide audience. If you like the sound that bands like The Gloria Record make, or if you did like Mineral or Christie Front Drive when they were making music, then Lewis would definitely be worth checking out.