Along with Deep Elm’s LEWIS and RED ANIMAL WAR, DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK continue the amazing trend of Deep Elm releasing the most creative indie rock bands around (the non-pretentious kind that actually plus music and not some irritating form of noise, grotesquely labeled ‘art’). “Contents of Distraction” is composed of seven songs that burn through 30 minutes of music. The ingredients for this recipe include a piano, trumpet, organ, buzzing guitars, some real flavorful percussion and a lot of screaming. Some may term this “emo-core,” since there’s a decidedly hard, intense edge to the music, but I think overall, DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK just have a lot more beautiful qualities than such a label merits to them. Lyrically, “Contents of Distraction” is sincerely powerful. The third track on here contains the line, “If you need me to take this cancer and inject into my veins, I will,” and that kinda creeps me a bit, like any good song in this genre should. Surprisingly, the trumpet blends into the music real well and adds a despondent vibe that compliments the often gloomy outlook. Like practically all Deep Elm releases, the artwork on “Contents…” is simple yet full of style. There’s an illustration on the back of the lyric booklet that pretty much sums all of the feelings this disc gives off. DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK are definitely a band to check out – because the odds are, you’ve never heard a band pull-off this kind of sound before.

Deep Elm

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