Friday, March 18, 2016

Band Review: Consider Me Dead


I've had a hard time knowing what to say about Consider Me Dead, a trio from Arizona.

I think part of that comes from a disconnect between the look and the sound. At first glance you see black T-shirts, flannel, and tattoos. In addition, shortly after being followed by them and following back, I found myself in an unexpected discussion about the superiority of marijuana over alcohol, at least from a health perspective. While I didn't expect them to be straight edge, I was kind of expecting something post-core.

That is not the case. The only real growl-shouting comes on "The Anthropologist", and even then it is offset by a delicate keyboard accompaniment.

Actually, my first auditory impression was "boy band", based on some of the vocal elements. There is a strong electronic influence, most noticeable on "The Island". The band sounds softer than they look. This isn't necessarily to criticize the sound or to call it soft, but I think the cognitive dissonance may have thrown me for a loop.

"Finding Our Own" is a good example of what Consider Me Dead does well, and "Breathe Me In" makes me take notice when it comes on. "Let Go" is fun. Overall, though, it feels like the songs blend together, and don't leave a lasting impression. That is even more true on their second album, Young At Heart; all of my examples are coming from their 2012 release, Up in Lights. There is potential here, but it could use more development.

Still probably a good bet for fans of danceable electronica.





No comments: