One Small Step for Landmines

One Small Step for Landmines (2007)

Brian Shultz

One Small Step for Landmines have a very good vibe about them on their self-titled debut, but it's also a rather unfocused effort, and that unfortunately prevents them from having produced a linear, solid listen.

On various tracks, One Small Step for Landmines pull from acts like If They Move…Kill Them-era Fairweather ("Take Me, Seriously," "What I'm Down For"), At the Drive-In ("Is There Anybody Out There?") and the Get Up Kids (generally everywhere). These are fairly enjoyable times, but oddly enough, on tracks where the band seem to have their own identity, they manage to piece together emo-rock songs that really fail to pull the listener in despite their intricacies. Maybe it's the band's lack of energy; most of these songs sound like they should be delivered with a lot more vigor and passion, and I could really see them hitting pretty hard if that was the case.

If anyone were to deny the band's potential, however, they'd be dead wrong. Songs like "Everything's Gonna Be All Right" find them stretching their musical muscle for an understated, gentle roll, subtle layer-building and catchy vocals delivered from various corners.

The band are clearly competent musicians, they know how to write a song and they seem sincere enough. One Small Step for Landmines is a diverse record, certainly, but sometimes it feels entirely too so, and a lack of certain characteristics that seem like they should be present hurts the presentation.

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Good Men Die Young, And I'm Not Feeling Well
Everything's Gonna Be Alright
I Am the New Lloyd