BILLY MUSIC “Midwest Index”
I first heard these guys when the debuted with an EP on Life Recordings a little less than a year ago, and their relaxed emo-rock stylings put me at ease. This time around, now on Law of Inertia Records, their full-length, “Midwest Index,” shares a much more complete vision of this band as they trade off between quiet, whispery jams, and hard-rocking, boisterious sounding tunes that remind me strongly of TEXAS IS THE REASON. Complimenting this release is the production work of Ed Rose (THE GET UP KIDS), and really, this disc has a delicious feeling. The drums and guitars swirl together on both tracks, “24 Hours From Anywhere,” and the overall standout, “Tour Song.” The latter songs displays this band’s unyielding talents for creating both highly melodic and powerful edges that take control of the senses. At both poles, BILLY MUSIC’s vocalist has a soothing command over each song, and adjusts very well to the relatively different styles this band evokes. Every so often, I’m a bit bored by the long-winded passages of melancholic wanderings (most of the songs clock in around five minutes), but once this band revs up their rock side, I feel truly encompassed in the music. The opening crunch to the tenth track, “Benign,” is a wicked wake-up call after the somewhat tepid ending to the prior song. The dual guitar work on this last song reminds me strongly of the epic Long Island act, INSIDE. Citing the impressive, consistent quality that Deep Elm Records is usually responsible for in releasing music in this genre, I feel that BILLY MUSIC is on par with that level and that Law of Inertia has definitely found a gem in this band. Let’s hope that the road treats these South Dakotans well.
Law of Inertia
