This Afternoon
If We Gave Up Now (2002)
Scott Heisel
Terrible band name.
Boring artwork.
Stereotypical Texas Is The Reason-meets-Quicksand post-hardcore sound.
Name dropping promo sheet [recorded by Chris Gibson (Errortype:11, J. Majesty, Glassjaw), mastered by Alan Douches (Jawbox, Snapcase, Girls Against Boys, etc. etc. etc.)].
From Syracuse, NY, but put out by a label located in, of all places, the Netherlands.
What's all this add up to?
An incredibly average disc from this band.
What is the only saving grace?
The first song, "Stop-Sign Racing."
This song is, no joke, one of the best songs I've heard this year thus far, and will probably end up making my "Punknews.org Mixtape" at the end of the year. It is hard-hitting with a catchy and unabashedly infectious yelled chorus. The other 9 tracks slide by with barely an imprint on my brain, but shit, "Stop-Sign Racing" is abso-fucking-lutely incredible.
My advice? Next time, focus more on songs like this and less on the other 9, guys. Then I'll be in love with you for sure. Until then, I'd pass on this [but try to download that song, you'll thank me]. There's promise here, but it needs to be polished up a bit.