THE EARLY NOVEMBER “For All of This”
When Drive-Thru signed these guys and tossed up a few of their earlier mp3s, I wasn’t all that impressed, mostly because the band just sounded sloppy, regardless of their energy. However, after a little bit of time to get their act together, replace a few members, and so forth, “For All of This,” the band’s Drive-Thru debut, turns out to be a pretty solid release. Although only eight songs deep, there’s over 30 minutes of music, none of which feels like it just passing time. Forging a sound that’s realistically part JIMMY EAT WORLD and THURSDAY, the melodic chill of THE EARLY NOVEMBER is starched with impact. While these guys aren’t near the level of proficiency of either band, the same kind of cheeky, confident earnestness is there, especially on the fourth tune, “Sunday Drive,” where sterling vocals take over all control. These guys don’t avoid their aggressive tendencies either, much of which is heightened by the clean, but not overdone production (please don’t feed these guys to the Trombino lions!). The second tune, “I want to hear you sad,” (avoid the dull name) bristles with the kind of fervor that any music fan can appreciate. Slick artwork rounds this disc out, though a lyric sheet would have been appreciated. I can’t say “For All of This” inspires me any more than any other “good” release to hit in my stereo in the past few months, but I haven’t forgot about it, and that’s not always the easiest thing to say.
Drive-Thru
