Labels: No Idea Records
Review by: Joe Caithness
People get down on No Idea Records, it’s one of those labels that puts out some pretty naff music as well as lots of good shit, and the naff stuff unfortunately shouts the loudest (in a gruff voice through a bebearded mouth). I have to admit it was probably because of this it took me two strong releases by this band to pass me by to even think about checking out there latest full length “To Volstead”.
  But thank god I did, this band really is a breath of fresh air compared to what’s going on in DIY circles regarding the indie/emo/sad stuff side of the tracks. Having retrospectively checked out the bands previous output (another full length and a split lp) this album seems like their most cohesive body of work and really works as an album. Musically, they reflect on their Gainesville forefathers I Hate Myself and Twelve Hour Turn, who produced a brilliant broken down completely floor rollingly depressing split 12″ at the end of the mid 90s emo boom, as much as they do the cleaner, slicker, end of 90s “slowcore” bands such as Bedhead, Codeine, Seam et al.
  It works a treat and seems an homage to neither, and instead comes across as a bunch of dorks picking up on a thread of sound which has been mostly forgotten by the punx and emos. Perhaps the nature of how well nailed (and well produced) this album is, it might kick start a wave of really depressed bands to slay the dragon of “fun loving emo”… god knows someone has to soon.