Labels: self released
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Ok, this is one of those bands that I “accidentally” compare to emo bands, when really that’s probably not their intention. But that’s their fault, not mine. I mean, look at the cover of the record. They even have a really nice Instragram picture of freight wagons on their tumblr page! They brought this on themselves. Just wait until you get to “Can’t Relate” and when the screaming vocals come in. Classic 90s crying! I expect that These Days probably approached their sound from perhaps a post punk direction, and the intent repetition that they feed into the songs can certainly make it possible to draw comparisons to Grass Widow, but there is something darker and more troubled in their sound, particularly in the vocals, that means I also get to compare them to Shroomunion, and hey, Football, etc. The songs tend to rattle along at pace, but they do draw things out moodily here and there, such as on the foreboding start of “Stay”. Everything is a bit rough and ready, the recording is lo-fi and the songs a bit ramshackle, for example it seems that “Can’t Relate” basically finishes because the band have to end it somewhere rather than figure out how to actually stop playing. But, but, it’s also a really thrilling listen, because no band sounds like this in 2012 and I, for one, am really glad that someone now does. Massively intrigued to hear where they go with this sound.