Quality over quantity is what most would hope for from EPs, but when bands are just starting out, the choice for an EP is usually a logistical one. Yet, Cedar Spring Motel's self-titled debut EP manages to pack more talent into four songs than a lot bands pack into an entire album.
The album is full of epic moments, such as the start of shredder "Stitches," which switches gears from its opening to burn through the song almost as quickly as it's begun but mixes in a ton of rhythmic, melodic and sonic variety. This continues throughout the EP, even with the vocals on songs like "Waiting (For The Rain)" and "Fake," which mixing angry yet enjoyably melodic vocals with screams that manage to drive the energy without feeling too cliché.
The screams do feel a little overdone on their own, but on "Smoke Break," yet another killer display of technical and song-writing talent behind the instrumentation more than make up for it — especially the riff-driven ending. This mix of writing and technical talent flows through much of the EP, especially at its close, giving just enough of an appetizer to have listeners hungry for their next release.
(Independent)The album is full of epic moments, such as the start of shredder "Stitches," which switches gears from its opening to burn through the song almost as quickly as it's begun but mixes in a ton of rhythmic, melodic and sonic variety. This continues throughout the EP, even with the vocals on songs like "Waiting (For The Rain)" and "Fake," which mixing angry yet enjoyably melodic vocals with screams that manage to drive the energy without feeling too cliché.
The screams do feel a little overdone on their own, but on "Smoke Break," yet another killer display of technical and song-writing talent behind the instrumentation more than make up for it — especially the riff-driven ending. This mix of writing and technical talent flows through much of the EP, especially at its close, giving just enough of an appetizer to have listeners hungry for their next release.