Despite much critical acclaim, Pittsburgh's Code Orange Kids, a sludgy hardcore quartet rife with feedback, still face deliberation from critics online. As drummer/vocalist Jami Morgan says, "People on message boards will act like we're cop outs and say that we're fucking horrible. If people want to talk about how we're young or how we look weird or whatever, it doesn't matter."
With new record, Love is Love // Return to Dust, coming out via Deathwish Inc. and a tour with likeminded, boundary-pushing heavy acts Gaza and Full of Hell, it will be increasingly difficult to ignore the band. "We were going to do it whether people cared or not," Morgan says. "I love doing this. I love hardcore, I love punk. It's our lives."
It's with this passion that Code Orange Kids crafted their first full-length. It demonstrates a broadening melodic side — hinted at on previous releases — that was born out of a critique of the genre they love. "Full-lengths can get real boring real quick," Morgan suggests, "especially when it's hardcore bands."
The inclusion of guest vocals from Adam Mcilwee of Tiger's Jaw and what Morgan calls "weird, melodic stuff" has given the band a challenge live. "There are a couple of songs on the record that we're still figuring out how to do in a cool way." However, the band are no strangers to performing softer music; three of their four members take forays into emo in the aptly named Adventures, who will be on a break while Code Orange Kids are busy. An unrelenting schedule might actually help push Code Orange Kids to improve even more. "The bands we tour with push us to try to be the best that we can be." But for now, Code Orange kids are in their happy place. "It's nice that people care about us now, because they didn't before."
It's with this passion that Code Orange Kids crafted their first full-length. It demonstrates a broadening melodic side — hinted at on previous releases — that was born out of a critique of the genre they love. "Full-lengths can get real boring real quick," Morgan suggests, "especially when it's hardcore bands."
The inclusion of guest vocals from Adam Mcilwee of Tiger's Jaw and what Morgan calls "weird, melodic stuff" has given the band a challenge live. "There are a couple of songs on the record that we're still figuring out how to do in a cool way." However, the band are no strangers to performing softer music; three of their four members take forays into emo in the aptly named Adventures, who will be on a break while Code Orange Kids are busy. An unrelenting schedule might actually help push Code Orange Kids to improve even more. "The bands we tour with push us to try to be the best that we can be." But for now, Code Orange kids are in their happy place. "It's nice that people care about us now, because they didn't before."
