The Almost

Southern Weather is not like any other album I have ever heard. Never have I listened to a whole CD and found only one good/slightly engaging song. Usually there’s a few that spark interest and one golden cut but in this case, this one song is actually the only appealing feature. That one song ("Amazing Because it Is”) is found about halfway through this stale debut album and is an interesting take on everyone’s favourite church tune, "Amazing Grace.” It’s got a tight hook or two, as well as an enthralling choir appearance on the bridge. It’s also mainly acoustic guitar-based, which is undoubtedly where Aaron Gillespie (drummer for Florida’s Underoath) succeeds on his solo debut. When Aaron does plug in for a track here and there he produces generic radio-ready rock in the same vein as Saves the Day with cheesier Christian-tinged lyrics. On his good days, Gillespie comes off as a sweet Say Anything sound-alike minus Max Bemis’s satirical brilliance, which is petty much what makes Say Anything so great. So, Underoath fans, come one, come all, Gillespie has distanced himself from his popular post-hardcore outfit but hasn’t proved much here, except that he can write a killer rock song, but just one.