Dear Ephesus
The Absent Sounds Of Me
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
There are a lot of great bands with new releases this Fall, and this one by Dear Ephesus may just well be the best. The band has crafted some great songs, which are bolstered by fine production. Shades of lo-fi guitars creep in, but they are complimented by a nice `n' wide low end. It's kind of hard to describe the sound on this record. "Looked For In The First Place" has a nice pop vibe to it, not too unlike the Foo Fighters. The throbbing "On West" reminds me both of the raw `n' gritty sounding pop of Puller and the vocals of Scott Silleta. "Simpleton Walks" has kind of a pouting vocal delivery that recalls the tune "Dave" from the late Asight Unseen. If there was a quality in emo for "pulling and expressing deep and sorrowful emotion" in a song, then Dear Ephesus would definitely have that quality. The song "Blue Day," for example, uses crashing guitars and cymbals to convey the feeling that it's not all going well inside the singer's life. But then it doesn't take long for him to start whispering softly about the inability to "make right this wrong" in the next tune, "Pinning Dreams," which then explodes in the end. This talented band has again created a very exciting release that's easy to like from the very first listen. Tunes like "Ocean Deep" grab you with its heavy yet melodic sound and doesn't let go. The energy is subdued but high in most places, and you can always count on a swift tempo or volume level change at some point in the song. Sometimes, however, the sound becomes a bit tired, as in the slow number "The Morning Sings," which is mostly due to the absence of a screaming style change somewhere in the tune. Taken as a whole, though, this slow puzzle piece is just another dynamic in this band's commanding delivery.
Other coverage for this album
7ball #24Reviewed by Steve TudorUpon first hearing the wow and flutter of the atmospheric first track mesh with the urgently upbeat guitar barrage of "Looked For In The First Place," one is forced to realize this is a totally different Dear Ephesus. Taking on a more progressive sound with The Absent Sounds of Me, the band has chewed up and spit out the abundant impurities one may have heard on The Consolation of Pianissimo.…