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Miracle
of 86
Every Famous Last Word
Lakeshore Records
Guest review by Matt
Whipkey
Pigeonholed
by the emo hang tag since their 1998 release, Emo Diaries Vol.
2 (Deep Elm), New York's Miracle of 86 may have finally shaken
that horrible stigma on their latest Lakeshore Records release.
While all the emo ingredients
are still there -- nasal vocals, dissonant guitar lines and bouncy,
picked electric bass -- a strong pop sensibility also has infected
these tunes, and damn infectious it is. Miracle of 86 picks a hook
and pounds it into our heads. Their music reminds of me of everything
that used to be good in pop music -- the beats bounce, the guitars
chime, heads bop and engines will be race as this album makes it
into the stereos of crappy Fords and Chryslers across the nation.
It's refreshing to hear
a band so masterfully execute true pop choruses with such enthusiasm.
From the Kinks-ish opener, "G-Song," through the pseudo
country of "Sleep All Damn Day," Kevin Devine's vocals
strain and soar with an exuberance that will move even the most
disillusioned listener.
back
to
Posted Nov. 19,
2003. Copyright © 2003 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.
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Rating: Yes
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Obligatory pull-quote:
"It's
refreshing to hear a band so masterfully execute true pop choruses
with such enthusiasm." |
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Tim Sez:
Slightly twangy
at times, this take on typical indie rock fodder works on
a very basic level by being as inoffensive as humanly possible.
Songs like "Your Quicksilver Moment," and the title
track border on vanilla indie rock. No, they haven't really
stepped out of their emo shadow, but that's not necessarily
a bad thing. They certainly outshine the competition (The
Get Up Kids, New Found Glory) in the ongoing emo wars. Harmless
fun.
Tim's rating:
Yes
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