Bridge and Tunnel

Bridge and Tunnel [7 inch] (2007)

Brian Shultz

With just their first demo, pressed onto grey-esque 7" vinyl recently by the illustrious No Idea Records, Bridge and Tunnel prove themselves to be Long Island's best new punk rock act not named the Agent in a long time. Finally, here's a band who's probably influenced by standard `90s punk legends like Fugazi and Hot Water Music, but don't make it that obvious, merely by combining the heartstring-tugging of emotional punk rock and the intricate, almost atmospheric structures of post-hardcore into one palatable, delicious mixture.

Bridge and Tunnel proceed on the self-titled deal with male/female vocals across songs about gentrification, hopes and dreams, and through singing lines and spinning guitar textures that show an incredible, depth-filled sense of melody. Playing at a fairly moderate tempo much of the time, it's amazing how well they pull the listener in considering.

When the members join in to declare "the ink on my fingers will speak to every lost hope" on closer "The Rules of Childrens Games," squealing, ringing guitars echo and square off in the speakers, growing louder and louder as Jeff leads the way sincerely pleading for "dreams of trespass [to] please last longer," making for a memorable finish. Opener "Location, Location, Location" is certainly a powerful opener, though; upbeat, swirling riffs back up the group chants of "we're the new problem in the old 'bad part of town'," a line so fiercely melodic and passionately sung it'll last in your head for days on end. These two songs are so good it causes a definite imbalance, but "Circles to Shreds" and "In Case of Emergency" are still assuredly solid.

Featuring (overlapping) ex-members of Latterman, Slingshot Dakota, Fellow Project and Regarding I, Bridge and Tunnel's backstory might provide solid motivation on paper for someone to check them out, but their debut 7" is well worth the shot in the dark of picking it up unaware. Rarely do bands sound this original and accomplished so early on, but B&T have immediately quashed the odds.

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Bridge and Tunnel