Labels: Polyvinyl
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Two new songs from the Maria here, and the best news is: vinyl only. Ha ha! Stick that up your noses you CD loving freaks. Aherm.
Anyway, one great song here, one that I could live without. The title track is infectious. Suitably fast and driving, with an injection of Promise Ring bounce (check the bassline) into the upbeat indie rock sound that Rainer Maria have been perfecting. Caithlin’s vocals are a urgent and forceful, harking back a little to the days when they put out that cry-fest of a debut album (“Past Worn Searching”). Goodness, that is a sad sad record, I can’t bring myself to listen to it these days, it’d tear me to pieces. I do kind of long for that style again, but I’d rather have the Rainer Maria present on this song than no RM at all, and you’ve got to love the break down at the end of the song as it all slows down and goes super nice. Yes, this song is fantastic, no question.
Side B is “Paper Sack” and Kyle sings it all. A totally acoustic track, nicely strummed but nothing special.
Definitely worth it for “Hell & High Water” though I have a sneaking feeling that this track is going to be on the new album, so that could sway your choice on whether to pick this up”¦