Broken + Cedars= three piece punk. But this time there's a catch...it has melody. Fast, furious, and melodic with a spiritual edge. Broken Cedars' debut album will ensure them a spot up there with the other melodic speed punk groups like Slick Shoes and Sick of Change.
What will catch your attention is the great breaks they have in their mix. Right in the middle of a song they will switch off the distortion and you hear the same kind of grooves you used to hear in old school hardcore, usually during the sad part of the song, for a unique twist. It was unusual, but welcome to my ears.
The only downside that I could think of was the vocals. There was a little bit too much of the nasal tone, almost as if the lead singer were trying to achieve the same sound as the lead singer of Slick Shoes, but then again imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And on top of that, the production was subpar on the vocal tracks. If you could have put these in a better studio, then it would increase the value of the music.
Basically, if you like melody in your carnage, get it.
3 tocks
Similar sounding releases
1998MxPxLet It Happen
2002NOFX45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records
HangnailHangnail '98
1999Sick of ChangeIn Our Time of Need
2005Strike AnywhereTo Live in Discontent
2001DogwoodMatt Aragon
