Emerging seemingly unscathed from a Spinal Tap-like case of rotating singer syndrome, Floridas God-fearing emo-prog warriors deliver a third disc that builds on the bands technical complexity and emotional depth. New vocalist Jon Bunch (ex of the late, great Sense Field) injects a new tempered melodicism and lyrical maturity that was missing from the bands previous album, How to Start a Fire (recorded with a younger singer). And while not as full-on rocking as their debut, The Moon is Down, it still gets the blood pumping. Rather than trying to emulate what original vocalist and now full-time Dashboard Confessionalist Chris Carrabba accomplished with his shrill, piercing voice, Bunch punctuates the bands winding, off-metered rock with his best vocal performance since Sense Fields Building. Itll be interesting to see how Bunch handles some of the older material live.
What is the deal with you guys and singers? Drummer Steve Kleisath: I dont know. The two situations are different. With Chris, he was up front and honest with us that he wanted to move on and do what hes doing now and hes obviously been very successful at it. He went about it in a professional, manly way and were still friends. With Jason [Gleason], the way he went about things was horrible and it affected a lot more people than just us, as far as the bad timing of it.
So its not that you guys are major league assholes who no one can stand working with? Thats what sucks. People could easily make that assumption and be like, "Wow, you guys cant hold down anybody. But its circumstances beyond our control or as the result of somebody else wanting to control everything.
With Jon Bunch on board, your new record is a little mellower and sounds like a musical maturing of sorts. I think our sound has definitely evolved into what we always wanted it to be and that is great melodic music with variety. Jon is the icing on the cake, to say the least.
(Tooth and Nail)What is the deal with you guys and singers? Drummer Steve Kleisath: I dont know. The two situations are different. With Chris, he was up front and honest with us that he wanted to move on and do what hes doing now and hes obviously been very successful at it. He went about it in a professional, manly way and were still friends. With Jason [Gleason], the way he went about things was horrible and it affected a lot more people than just us, as far as the bad timing of it.
So its not that you guys are major league assholes who no one can stand working with? Thats what sucks. People could easily make that assumption and be like, "Wow, you guys cant hold down anybody. But its circumstances beyond our control or as the result of somebody else wanting to control everything.
With Jon Bunch on board, your new record is a little mellower and sounds like a musical maturing of sorts. I think our sound has definitely evolved into what we always wanted it to be and that is great melodic music with variety. Jon is the icing on the cake, to say the least.