We leave for tour in a week- come hang out! I even linked all the Facebook pages! If you know the address to a house venue, please don’t post it publicly- last thing we want is for the show to be shut down. Whoop whoop.
Our good friend Craig Robertson (of Centennial and Districts fame) has started a music review blog and posted a very kind and honest review of us! Cheers!
Emo darlings, Old Gray, have finally released a full length after a spree of EP’s and splits (Including the monumental four way Topshelf Records Valentines Day Split with The Hundred Acre Woods, Julia Brown and Modern Baseball). This long working process has been completely justified with the release of this debut LP, I am absolutely blown away.
On “An Autobiography”, Old Gray wear their influences proudly, and have drawn together with all the elements they have played with on their various releases. Twinkly emo, spoken word, post-rock, emotional hardcore and “The Wave” style post-hardcore/screamo all entwine here across 8 intense songs. Themes of dealing with mental illness, addiction, the break down of relationships and the fragility of love emerge through these songs, in bursts of stunning honesty which I could only compare to scene veterans Pianos Become The Teeth.
An example which I found especially poignant comes from the song attached, “I Still Think About Who I Was Last Summer”
No touch, no shadow cast into mind, Your hand fervidly held at your side as memories of you flow through mine an empty space more lonesome for what it has lost. You’re the sunset smile thundering out of a careless moment, You’re the tightly closed fingers holding in a breath. If you would stay here with me, one more minute, I would steal the world.
With this release, Old Gray have displayed an absolute grasp of the genres they adore, while still keeping everything fresh and engaging. “An Autobiography” represents a step into maturity for this band, claiming a place amongst the names to be counted and taken seriously.
Congratulations gents, you’ve done something worth being proud of.
THE SONG PLAYING IS: “I Still Think About Who I Was Last Summer” THE ALBUM IS AVAILABLE FROM:BANDCAMP (FOR FREE) and BROKEN WORLD MEDIA (FOR MERCH/12” COPIES)
Another cool review, this time in another language! The Google translation tells me that they called us a “screamo power trio” which is probably the coolest thing we’ve been called, even if I don’t think we’re a screamo band. Word!
European Old Gray fans, this is the announcement you were waiting for! Here is all the info for the European pressing of ‘An Autobiography’.
- 300 copies pressed; two colourways
- Pre-order cover for the first 25 orders and double pack orders
- Different label/spine art to the US press
- 5 tracks on side A, 3 tracks on side B. This is so both sides are around 13minutes each and the record can be pressed at 45rpm!
I want to thank the band for asking Dog Knights to put out a Euro version. This album is incredible and i so happy to be a part of this release!
Darren is the coolest dude and the European release of our record is going to be wild. LOOK HOW COOL THOSE LOOK. Get into it and support EVERYTHING he does over at Dog Knights Productions.
(A review by Lachie Smith) Old Gray recently announced their debut albumAn Autobiography with minimal fuss. Released early this afternoon,An Autobiographyis a no nonsense suckerpunch of a debut.
Having released a number of EPs and splits, Old Gray’s debut is a big sounding album from the outset. Maintaining the post rock/screamo stylings of earlier releases, An Autobiography highlights their knack for blending chaos and calm with a Jekyll and Hyde attitude.
Opener “Wolves” begins with a subtle intro before Cameron Boucher’s urgent and dire vocals set the tone for the rest of the album. Sharing a similar sense of desperation as Jordan Dreyer (La Dispute) at points, Boucher conveys a much deeper sense of sadness and ferocity. At points he sounds as if his voice is at the point of breaking which works perfectly with the tone of the album. On other occasions he provides a wavering spoken word delivery that allows the music to breathe and provides a calm amongst the storm. This is demonstrated perfectly on the track “Show Me How To Self Destruct”.
Musically the album is a melting pot of sounds and influences, all of which are drawn together is an extremely cohesive manner. Tracks like “The Graduate” and “The Artist” have a very Joshua Fit For Battle/Kidcrash/City Of Caterpillar vibe going on. Then you have “Emily’s First Communion” which could easily have come from a Conation or I Would Set Myself On Fire For You album. Yet before you think you have the album pigeonholed, the final two tracks, in particular the closer “My Life With You, My Life Without You”, wouldn’t be out of place coming from bands like Explosions In The Sky or early Moving Mountains.
Overall, An Autobiography is a memorable and moving debut for Old Gray. Despite a little familiarity for those that may have grown up with bands such as Orchid or Saetia, it shouldn’t be written off as it provides a fresh and honest take on the screamo sound. More importantly, they have managed to succeed in providing an album that bands like Mans and Lion Of The North before them never had the chance to. Clocking in at around the 25 minute mark, it’s a short, succinct and powerful album that wastes no time making its mark. Without a doubt Old Gray will turn a few heads and deservingly so as they have released what will be one of the best albums of the year.
allididwasdie asked: Patrick - I'm about to start a job as a third-shift custodian. I think my work will consist mostly of vacuuming, dusting, and washing the windows of a few cubicle floors. I will work almost entirely by myself. Is custodial work really as hard as you said? I'm actually pretty excited about this job.
It’s not actually all that challenging on the face of it, but people who do it for any length of time have techniques to make it easier and more...
Anonymous asked: Search for "Monster Energy Kicking it at Groezrock 2013" on youtube. European hardcore "scene" is upset about the supposed sexism of Monster in this short advertisement. Do you see sexism in this videoclip? I see women who choose to earn money with showing their bodies and dancing. Sounds okay to me.
STOP WRITING US ABOUT BORING SHIT THAT ONLY UNHEALTHY WEIRDOS GIVE A SHIT ABOUT.
YOU KNOW I JUST SEARCHED ‘MONSTER ENERGY KICKING IT AT GOZERROAK...
Anonymous asked: I've written a few songs lately that I recognize our not my best work. I like them but I feel they are beneath some of previous material/some other things I'm currently working on. Should I still record/release them or just let them fade away into the ether. (I am a solo artist who releases almost all my material for free online.)
It’s 2013, homie. Generate content at all cost. Don’t flatter yourself with the idea of posterity. People are the dolphin creatures from the book ...
