Vessels by the Summer Pledge (2012)

Kind of Like: Moving Mountains (circa Pneuma), The Appleseed Cast, Broken Social Scene
Genres: Indie, Emo, Post-rock, Math Rock, Experimental
Preview:

These Detroit natives were one of the first few bands I featured on this site with their previous 2010 effort, You Are You.  The first time I saw them was a New Year's Party at the Trumbellplex with The State Lottery and others.  They made a really good impression with me right off the bat, and I have been eager to hear their latest album since they announced they were working on it a few months ago.  There aren't many Detroit bands that go for this sound, so it's always nice to see bands like this coming out of Detroit or Michigan in general.

These guys can really build up into songs, but with the first song, "Bloodclot", they get things started quickly so you dive right into it.  You can also notice as more sounds and instruments start popping up in the first song that they put a lot of effort in the production of this one.  They recorded at Drasik Studios in Chicago, and Roshambo Studios in Hazel Park, Michigan.  Drasik has been known for their work with CSTVT, Koji, Fireworks, Into It. Over It., the Swellers and many others.  And I can't find much about Roshambo...

Anyways, the boys keep going at full force until :40 into "Wonder", when things die down for a minute with a nice mathy Russian Circles-esque palm muting part.  After that is "The Ledges (Outsider)", which is quickly becoming a favorite out of the songs on this album.  Especially the guitar part at like 1:42.

There is a brief minute interlude thingy that lets you take a little break after the first 4 songs before going into "B's Teeth" which is probably the first song you will hear off of their bandcamp preview.  The vocals get edgier at certain points in this song which is quite welcome.

"Suspended by Sunbeams" reminds me a lot of You Are You, it takes awhile to get where it's going but if you are patient and get to the end of it you get a really great song that is overall slower and flowing, but has it's moment where it picks up as well.

The album ends with a long'un, clocking in at a little over 9 minutes.  The neat thing about this song is that it incorporates parts of "Bloodclot" in it, like certain melodies and vocal parts.  I am a sucker for bands that take the beginning idea of a song or album, and break it down and incorporate it at the end as well.

Overall, I definitely feel this album is a step forward from You Are You, not that that album was bad.  They seem to have made an effort to have more structure in their songs and not have parts that are dragged out too much.  That being said, this band/album is more for people that are patient with their music.  Their songs are generally longer, which can be a double-edged sword.  You get great parts that are really memorable that you always look forward to, but there is also room for parts that may not rub you the right way.  However, I would rather be a band like that instead of one that is short and sweet, but safe and unchallenging (not a word, but it should be).

This has not leaked yet, I got a few listens of it and it will be released digitally in a couple weeks, and then it will be available on wax as a double LP in about a month.

Listen Here:

StreamPad: The Summer Pledge - "The Ledges (Outsider)"