REVIEW: The Skeleton Years - Between Lunacy And You
With today's bombardment of mediocre, sub-par, unengaging punk rock bands ruling the social media worldwide, It comes as a refreshing breath of fresh air when one is served with the perfect execution of what a good band sounds like. The Skeleton Years launches its debut offering in the form of a 7-song EP. I was lucky that after countless months of pestering the band members, they finally gave in and gave me an advance copy of this release.
It's no secret that I'm a sucker for New Wave and Punk Rock, and worship both genres with unscaled fervor. and these are equally encompassed by the music The Skeleton Years play. They pull it off amazingly without any hints of trying too hard (or without really trying at all, as I see it).
The cd cover sets the mood for TSY's music, having that dark red & black theme. Kicking off with their first track "Abandon", replete with their trademark fuzzy guitars guitar sound. I guess this version is a wee bit slower than their first demo recording. "Through" starts off with a playful drum-guitar alternate that takes you to their punk rock chorus. I'm not entirely sure that "Control" was a nod to Joy Division and was done on purpose but I'd love to think it was. The tune even starts with an intro that leans heavily on their JD influence. I can picture "Dead Night" being an anthem for young kids everywhere, the tune is catchy, but still with that dark haunting flavor that is inherently TSY's. I love how the two guitars sound like they are fucking flirting with each other. I gotta admit, without knowing TSY, I would've thought I was hearing "Simple" straight out of a Matt Skiba record. Or it could just be that I'm still unfamiliar with this track at all, as this was never released prior to this EP. Hands down, "Fade" has become my favorite on this EP. It has all the qualities of the band shining bright against the darkness of this release. This Ep treats us too with a demo version of "Abandon" added for good measure.
I don't even know how relevant the member's former bands were (I'd say not at all), but I do not care that some smart-ass babies throw accusations that TSY sounds like what their individual former bands sounded like. Just a thought, If you put Chris Cornell in Temple Of The Dog, Soundgarden, Audioslave, and whatever else band he used to front, he sure as hell sounds a lot like how Chris Cornell sounds, doesn't he?!?! It is not rocket science, fellas. This is an entirely new entity, and as such, they are called The Skeleton Years.
Let me wrap it up by stating for a fact that "Between Lunacy And You" should be one (if not the only one) of the best EPs to come out this year, and is a perfect example of what new bands ought to prioritize first, because, frankly, you start a band to play music for the love of it and not to have your own clothing line of band name merchandise, yes? The only gripe I have on this release is that seven songs left me wanting more, and this early, I am already expecting a fuckin' full length from TSY. Do the right thing and get this EP from the band, support independent recordings. Be a part of your favorite band's life.. Because I said so.
Release show happening here:
contact the band @: The Skeleton Years
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