Posted on: September 22, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

The way in which The End of the World start their “You’re Making It Come Alive” is interesting, as the interplay between the different constituent parts of the band opens up the track. The vocals actually diminish the richness of sound that “Crowded Rooms” starts listeners off with, as the vocals go forth and flatten everything behind them with an imperial hand. The early bars of “White Sands” bring The End of the World into a Franz Ferdinand meets “Sam’s Town”-era Killers to make something that is definitely current but has a major part of its sound derived from earlier rock movements. The band definitely has taken their fair share of time creating a specific sound for “You’re Making It Come Alive”. The music contained on tracks like “Last Cast” has been smoothed through a number of times, like a rock going through a tumbler, so it feels as if The End of the World have deliberately picked each guitar riff and drum hit. The tracks are not pandering to the radio public, but rather attempt to accomplish the band’s goal of creating an album that is solid throughout.

The more meandering tempo of a song like “Sunrise at the Manse” hides what is really an intense track, as the band snowballs this energy slowly, to the point by the end of the track the track is practically aglow with energy. The output of The End of the World is what I would imagine a smarter and more talented Guster or Weezer coming out with. There is none of the pandering to the lowest common denominator on this track, and it is due to this form of musical elitism that the album is that much stronger. The ending of “Sunrise at the Manse” is some of the most brilliant output of The End of the World, and this is created with little more than the drummer leading listeners out of the track. The End of the World makes interesting tracks, but fans will need to listen carefully to each of the ten tracks to get a proper appreciation for the band. Keep listening to The End of the World, as chances are good that they will rocket up the CMJ charts just given the right push. The band has ability and they play not for the common peon, but for the individual that lives, breathes, and will die music.

Top Tracks: Fangs and Fog, Show Your Age

Rating: 6.8/10

The End of the World – You’re Making It Come Alive / 2006 Flameshovel / 10 Tracks / http://www.theendoftheworld.net / http://www.flameshovel.com / Reviewed 11 November 2006

[JMcQ]

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