Friday, May 6, 2011

First Review! Title Fight - Shed (2011)


Title Fight - Shed
                After spending the last few days binging and digesting the new Title Fight album Shed, I’ve realized that I could really write for miles about this release.  There is a lot to be said about this small-town quartet’s evolution from the songs off The Last Thing You Forget.  I’m not really into reviews that summarize each song, so let’s talk about this album’s sound and development as a whole.  Disclaimer:  In no way do I intend for this to be condescending, but being a musician, I feel like this review (my first) will revolve around the musical devices Title Fight uses to sway the mood and power of their songs.  Please bare with me!
                The biggest contributor to these songs, and to the evolution of Title Fight’s sound, is the guitar work on these tracks.  I’m not sure what these guys were listening to when these songs were written, but the songs are definitely dense and chordy, a lot like the jangly guitars of Algernon Cadwallader, and reminiscent of the 90’s emo sound of bands like Mineral, Braid, and Cap’n Jazz.  The thing that makes the sound of this release so interesting and dynamic is the combination of that sound with the pop-sensibility of earlier Saves the Day, but delivered through the energy and intensity of melodic hardcore groups like Lifetime and Troubled-Stateside-era Crime in Stereo.  Additionally, they have, more than ever, utilized accidentals and momentary out-of-key movements which is partially what transcends this release beyond those of their contemporaries.
                The vocals are still the way we all remember and love these guys for.  The combination of the bassist's throaty yells and the guitarist’s cleaner, dryer vocals make for a flawless duo.  They still sing just as hard, though, primarily about the things that apply to them, which is something I think people love about this band: they don’t stray from their own picture of life.  They offer an interesting perspective into their everyday thoughts and experiences, often very visually so, with choice minimal wording.
                The production on this album is just what Title Fight needed.  It is clear and tight from beginning to end, and very tastefully and tactfully makes use of room sound and guitar noise (something I’m a sucker for), adding just enough dirt and dinginess to their sound to make it raw, but not sloppy.
                This album’s only downfall (which doesn’t really diminish from the overall greatness of it) is strangely also its greatest strength (for all you guitar nerds out there): Title Fight makes use of a lot of bending guitar seventh riffs, often combined with the next open string to create a clashing, sorrowful and dissonant, yet sweet sound (think Saves the Day’s “Wednesday the Third”).  This is a very effective device, and many of the album’s highlights are centered around the perfect placement of this device.  Their excessive use of almost gives their songs too much familiarity, but still not enough to make them all blend together in a boring way.  Again, this isn’t a problem for the album, but if I had to point out one weakness, that’d be it.
                Overall, Shed is a mind-blowing experience, and a great direction for Title Fight to have taken.  You can tell they put every fiber of themselves into the creation of these songs and recordings, so please do them the favor.  Support them.  Go to a show, buy a tee shirt, buy a CD.  They deserve it.  It’s going to be very hard to top this one, but I’m nonetheless stoked to see where they’ll go from here.

Ryan’s album picks: “Shed”; “Safe in Your Skin/Where Am I?”; “Stab”

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