Rohan Kohli
12/23/05, 09:16 PM
I think it’s safe to say Chicago pop rock/punk has officially taken over. On their debut EP, Behind Our Calm Demeanors, Chicago natives Treaty of Paris draw heavily from their local brethren in The Academy Is… and Fall Out Boy, and offer us a solid, energetic, collection of pop rock/indie tunes. With plenty of clean and lightly distorted syncopated guitars, the comparison to The Academy Is… is easy to make, and there are hints of Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) scattered throughout the EP (voice waver included in “Hello Nurse”, a track catchier than a fishing boat during salmon season). On “Rollerskates,” a bouncy, well written track, the band sprinkles in some very cool vocal layers almost reminiscent of The Beach Boys, which is a nice little treat. Overall, the EP has its moments, but comes across as a little bland, particularly on “Here Goes Nothing” and “Good Year.” Treaty of Paris has the potential to be the next big Chicago band, but the operative word here is potential. The tracks are solid, but the EP is missing that certain special something which could catapult them to stardom. Their Chicago sound will probably be a turn-on for some, a turn-off for others. You know what you like, go from there.