This is a decent disc from the Lancaster, PA band, but it paves no new ground. Most of the album is pretty standard indie rock/emo fare, not too far off from their earlier work. Fans of emo will recognize, at once, the traditional emo vocals and guitars.
The first song, "Hurricanes and Runaways" juxtaposes Hurricane Floyd with perceptions of the fashion world, pointing out the absurdity of our superficial culture. In fact, it is the lyrics and the topics addressed in them that make this album interesting. On the surface, "Dirty History" is a song about relationships, but it digs even deeper with lines like "When you're not feeling so good, how does your light shine? I know you miss the light. Let it in please."
The most interesting song on the disc is "Screenplay (Movies with Heroes)" which is a mellower more laid back approach to the group's sound. This is a direction the band should consider exploring more often as they grow and seek to develop a more distinctive sound.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Tom BastianMovies with Heroes is one of the hardest working bands that I know. If you take a close listen to "The Slate", and a look into the history of this band you should begin to realize what I'm talking about. This five song EP really only disappointed me in one way and that's simply due to the fact that it's an EP. I was anxious to hear an entire album worth of material from these guys since changing…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Nate BaileyLancaster Pennsylvania's own Movies with Heroes present their best release to date. Five songs of poppy melodic rock with well written songs and catchy harmonics. This isn't one of those CD's where the songs all blend together and you're left hoping the end is right around the corner. The music is mature and laid back because instead of playing to the audience, the band plays from the heart and…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Bert GanglAlmost from the very beginning, pop/rock's more memorable compositions have been a sure-fire combination of driving beats, catchy lyrics, and heartfelt vocals--all tied firmly to a sturdy melodic foundation. The Slate, the second EP from Pennsylvania's Movies with Heroes, succeeds nicely on several of these counts. The frenetic, U2-inspired guitar runs and highly rhythmic vocal technique of…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Chris MacIntoshThis five song ep is my introduction to the Pennsylvania based group that goes by the name "Movies With Heroes." The quartet consists of Keith Wilson on vocals, guitars and lyrics, Jeff Royer on bass guitar and vocals, John Donahue on guitar, french horn and keyboard and Jeremy E. Bentley on drums. Although short in length, this disc is very impressive in quality and content. Production was…Similar sounding releases
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