Alright, so in full disclosure, I couldn’t get through the last Birds In Row record, the Personal War EP. I listened to about three songs and it just lost me. It didn’t grab me at all like its precursors did, so needless to say, I was a little skeptical when I saw they were releasing new full-length record this year.
On my fourth listen of We Already Lost the World it’s safe to say that whatever clicked in my peanut-sized brain before with Birds In Row is back, and executed so well.
From the first few quiet and melodic seconds of album opener “We Count So We Don’t Have to Listen” that burst into the real meat of the track itself, it immediately encompasses everything I loved about this band. We Already Lost the World brought me back to familiar territory.
From the beginning of the record to the end, you are hit with 9 tracks that show off every influence this post-hardcore band might have to offer, and I think that’s what surprised me the most. Vocalist/guitarist Bart Balboa really shows off what he can do with his voice, ranging from the explosive entry he makes at the :30-second mark of the opener, to the first time he trades the painfully strained vocals for his surprisingly clear deeper singing voice in “We vs. Us.”
The albums first single, “15-38” is great, but the stand out track for me is really the song right before, “I Don’t Dance.” The three minute banger has parts reminiscent of label mates Converge, contemporaries Loma Prieta and even Ampere, all while remaining to not lose what makes them their own band.
We Already Lost the World comes out on July 13, which is right around the time the French post-hardcore band will be hitting the states to tour on it with a whole slew of bands. Lucky for me, I’ll be getting the chance to catch them and hear how this all translates live, which I’m sure will be great. Thanks, Birds In Row.
Birds In Row tour dates:
July 17 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre *
July 18 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre *
July 19 Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater *
July 20 Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall *
July 21 Austin, TX @ Emo’s *
July 22 Wichita Falls, TX @ Stick’s Place ^
July 24 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar ^
July 25 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean ^
July 26 Syracuse, NY @ Spark Art Space ^
July 27 Oakdale, NY @ Shaker Pub ^
July 28 Portland, ME @ Geno’s ^
July 29 Boston, MA @ O’Briens ^
July 31 Brooklyn, NY @ Kingsland ^
August 1 Montclair, NJ @ Meatlocker ^
August 2 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie ^
August 3 Falls Church, VA @ VFW 9274 ^
August 4 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern ^
August 5 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter ^
August 6 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar ^
* w/ Neurosis & Converge
^ w/ Portrayal Of Guilt
Get It
- Deathwish Inc (Vinyl, CD)
- Bandcamp (mp3)
Tagged: birds in row
