springtime

Demo 2012 [cassette] (2012)

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Richmond, Va.'s springtime features a couple of ex-members of Tiger Tail, who were criminally cut short after a similar minded demo tape released in 2011. springtime also features current members of Family Cat. Clocking in at just over 10 minutes over the course of six songs, you certainly wouldn't want this release to be any longer and still call it a demo.

springtime's vocalist Marshall Hawthorne's voice is raspy, but not in the usual Midwestern sort of way--rather like End of a Year/Self Defense Family or Leatherface; almost a wheeze pushed a little too far past comfort level. It's like whispering loudly. This works perfectly for the style of punk they're playing, although I can't really imagine it going farther than that. The recording quality isn't exactly top notch, but it's certainly not lo-fi. Remember, this is a demo after all. That being said, this band is way tighter than you'd expect from a demo, and they aren't willing to let you forget that.

You can hear a significant amount of improvement from Tiger Tail to springtime. They certainly share the same influences (Braid, Get Up Kids, Rites of Spring; the good half of '90s emo, you get the picture), and I would assume so, as they share half the members, but I can't help but feel that springtime sounds a little more like their own project. The influences are undoubtedly still in the songwriting, they're just not worn on the sleeve anymore.

Richmond has always had a good reputation for punk rock, but if springtime represent what the next generation of bands from RVA are coming up with, we're in for a treat.