Some Quality Emo (Double Post)
It seems that a lot of people tend to look down on emo as a genre. Maybe it’s cause it’s one of those love it or hate it things. But then there are bands that come out of those types of genres that are just so damn good that it doesn’t matter what genre they represent. Rainer Maria is one of those bands. They sound so good that one would be willing to throw away their musical inhibitions about emo if they exist.
I think a lot of Rainer Maria’s likeability comes from their lead vocalist/bassist, Caithlin De Marrais. She doesn’t have that angsty, nasal whine or even the over-the-top screaming (even if the band does go in that direction occasionally) that a lot of emo vocalists seem to have. Instead she finds a comfortable middleground that sounds more like traditional alternative rock singing without losing that emo flavor.
This is not to say that Caithlin De Marrais carries the band. Lead guitarist/background vocalist Kyle Fischer and percussionist William Kuehn work together perfectly with Caithlin De Marrais’s voice to create an incredible musical ensemble that does not lack in emotional power (much to the liking of emo lovers) and does not go over the top (much to the liking of emo haters).
Buy Rainer Maria’s A Better Version of Me
Rainer Maria – Artificial Light
Buy Rainer Maria’s Past Worn Searching
Rainer Maria – Tinfoil
***EXTRA KRUD***
Usually I’d end the post there, but I have another group I want to post about. It’s actually a band from the Baltimore area. I’m an acquaintance of their ex-guitarist, so I’ve got the inside scoop on the band. Actually, as a short tangent (you can skip this and move to the next paragraph you want since this is not related to music), back when the other Dave and I were hanging out on a semi-regular basis, our clique needed a way to refer to one Dave differently than the other. So I became Rival Dave, which is why I have the on-line nickname that I do.
Anyway, the other Dave is formerly of A Throwaway Society, a very good emo band that is still in their formative years but is progressing along very well, musically speaking. I would occasionally hang out with their lead vocalist Brandon when hanging out with my fellow Radio KRUD cohort, Glenn. The two of them were roommates. And Dave was their suitemate. He played guitar, Brandon needed one for his band, and thus A Throwaway Society was formed. Glenn was there from the formation and since I’m good friends with him, I’ve pretty much been witness to the whole spectacle myself, either directly or vicariously.
As such, I can safely say that the band, with or without Dave’s guitar prowess, has great potential. Bands go through personnel fluctuations all the time, it’s no big deal. Like the Foo Fighters. The Foo Fighters is basically Dave Grohl and whoever happens to be with him at the time, but it’s always the Foo Fighters. In A Throwaway Society’s case, I would say that Brandon has great potential as a band leader. He has the presence, the attitude, and he definitely has the talent that would allow him to make it in the biz. As long as he’s surrounded by talented musicians, which is currently the case unless the band roster has changed more than I thought, then the music will always be good.
At the moment, however, the band’s sound is still a little bit raw, so there is some work that needs to be done. But there is definite potential for something even more awesome. The first two songs I’m providing are a couple of their older releases. “Of the People” is a personal favorite and “Julee Unlikely” is a fan favorite. The third song, “We Were a New Breed,” is one of two new demos available for download at their website. These new demos show how the band has evolved musically. The only problem with “We Were a New Breed” is that Brandon’s vocals are drowned out by the instruments. I’ll admit that these recordings are a tad lo-fi.
A Throwaway Society – Of The PeopleA Throwaway Society – Julee UnlikelyA Throwaway Society – We Were a New Breed
***TANGENTAL KRUD***
I just wanted to say that I really like the name “A Throwaway Society.” Awesome name for a band.