Escape To New York

Normally, if I'm going to describe a band as "reverby" I'm not necessarily using it as a compliment. I'm the grumpy old asshole that thinks relying on a guitar effect for every song is gimmicky, cheap, a cop out, a essentially a band aide to hide the reality of being shitty by sounding "cool bro".

But, I'm not afraid of eating my words bro. Especially if thems words are delicious when sprankled with the fact that I now have a favorite reverby band bro.

Escape To New York are my favorite reverby band bro.

From the first song I became obsessed with to my new favorites, A Long Time Between Monsters is a solid EP's worth of an introduction to a band you should join me in publicly declaring fanboy status over. Escape To New York sounds both adolescent and mature as Fuck, as they feel like an emulation of a whole bag of popular bands, but their delivery is straightforward and original. It's almost like they're accepting of any of the comparisons you could throw at them, but they aren't letting who you think they sound like determine who they think they sound like.

If I wanted to I could list out each of the bands my initial experience with Escape To New York led me towards, but over the last two months with A Long Time Between Monsters, I'm now able to hear them for their own sound. Escape To New York are heady and emotional, but the playfulness you hear in their songwriting when it's so potentially serious is what makes their steeze so fucking girthy. An almost emo distortion shades the skies a pre-storm color of grey, but the shimmery twank twinkles of their guitars when paired with the youthful growl of the vocals makes this band fucking captivating.

The exact moment I realized this band was going to fucking piss me off by making me stalk them incessantly was at the 0:29 point of "We Got Some Miles To Go". How can a listless bassline be accompanied by a crisp ass motherfucking guitar pick out/pull off like that and not melt my man-panties? That's fucking gorgeous brohammer.

It's this stare off into space teen drama shit and these flutters of shiny beauty that grab my attention completely. And if the layered and building growls of the vocals don't make you wish you already knew the words to growl along with them, you're a soulless piece of shit and I'm positive you brag about earning trophies given to you just for participating.

In my first write up for these guys, for the video for "Growing Pains", I was certain that that particular track was going to be the best they had to offer. But after listening to this EP on a fucking boat in the middle of a lake with a cold beer in my hand, I can say with half-crocked certainty that that is certainly not the fucking case.

Escape To New York are one of those bands you don't even have to listen to to feel that grey sky happiness their whole vibe exudes.

I'm looking forward to bumping this when the weather stops being so ball-sticking-to-the-backs-of-my-knees-ingly fucking hot because this is some serious ass motherfucking autumn music bro. And I, for one, welcome our new coifed hair and black and white home movie filming and pocket watch touting British overlords.