CADILLAC BLINDSIDE “Read the Book, Seen the Movie”
As the whole emo-rock trend sweeps across the nation, labels far and wide have tried to pick up bands to fill this open genre on their roster, and CADILLAC BLINDSIDE appear to be Soda Jerk’s entry. It’s funny, Soda Jerk’s last release was from the brutal hardcore band, CRISPUS ATTUCKS, so to say that this was a slight change of pace for the label is more than an understatement. Anyway, this GET UP KIDS / AT THE DRIVE IN / JIMMY EAT WORLD genre is rapidly reaching its saturation, but fortunately, bands like CADILLAC BLINDSIDE manage it keep it fresh by incorporating a speedier tempo, a craftier guitar sound, and a stinger of a vocal approach. One thing that always wins me over as a listener is when bands use two vocalists singing totally different parts, and somehow, keep the mix clear, and this band excels in doing that. The guitar work is crisp, and although somewhat light, filled with many hooks and loops to reel you in. The drums pound non-stop, and often with intricate fills. Musically, this is a very solid and rocking release. As for the lyrics, it’s more of a “been there and done that, ” feeling, but hey, how many emo records can you listen to and expect to be blown over by originality each time? Not all is lost though, as the song “Nothing like the real thing,” teems of bitterness, and addresses a familiar topic in a creative manner. The artwork is pretty darn fabulous, as I really dig the gray, silver and black color scheme, and the pictures in the booklet are impressive as well. You can tell that the band and label spent a lot of time and money putting together this release. That little bit of extra care can go along way in showing off a band’s commitment to quality. The bottom is that while this release didn’t quite inspire me, it filled one of my complaints that emo bands don’t play fast enough and with enough front-end power. After about the fourth listen, “Read the Book, Seen the Movie,” still continues to grow on me, and I’m glad that it is a part of my collection. Soda Jerk puts another winner…is anyone surprised?
Soda Jerk Records
