Russ Hockenbury
08/17/06, 07:40 PM
The Modern Day Saint - …And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing
Release Date: 8/22/2006
Label: Eyeball Records
Give Eyeball Records credit, they don’t go out and sign bands that are easy sells. Who could’ve predicted that a group of college kids from Bloomington, IN, fresh off a name change from the incredibly unsexy moniker of Little Joe Gould would morph into one of the more respected acts in the indie world today? How about Sleep Station putting out historical concept albums about everything from NASA snafus to World War II? Max Bemis may be the king of rock opera, but he has nothing on Dave Debiak’s knowledge of Hitler’s Berlin.
Knowing the label’s propensity for these off kilter acts, The Modern Day Saint isn’t much of a risk. Ambitious at times, sure. For better or worse though, these guys are a pretty average band. Consequently, they do pretty average things on their debut full-length, …And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing.
In the interest of staying mundane, the lazy mush-mouthing of “On My Stereo” is a rare slip below the Mendoza line. The traveling man’s tune is made even worse when the high-pitched backing vocals come in at the two and a half minute mark. By the time the track explodes into a full on orchestral piece four minutes in, you’re already so turned off that not even the charms of a well-played harmonica can get you up again. Eyeball had a band that did this sort of music a lot better in All Rattle and Dust, they just broke up before they ever got a chance to prove it.
On the whole, “On My Stereo” is a moot point. It’s a slow leap away from the moodiness of Laymen Terms meets poetic tenacity of Bear Vs. Shark tone the rest of the album takes. MDS doesn’t realize the same emotional heights of either of those bands. Adam DiMuzio is no Andy Tanner, but he’s not Danny Tanner either. He’s got spunk picking up the faster verse, vaguely reminding you of Marc Paffi at the BVS frontman’s weaker moments. However, DiMuzio’s softer side is Modern Day Saint’s cross to bear. See “How to Walk on Water” for vocal evidence. Bottom line, if you’re looking for a so-so time, give …And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing a spin and set phasers to: Meh.
Today’s saints have nothing on St. Peter: “Solutions”, “What You Do Best”
The milkman, the paperboy, even MTV: Laymen Terms, Jena Berlin, The Bronx
Release Date: 8/22/2006
Label: Eyeball Records
Give Eyeball Records credit, they don’t go out and sign bands that are easy sells. Who could’ve predicted that a group of college kids from Bloomington, IN, fresh off a name change from the incredibly unsexy moniker of Little Joe Gould would morph into one of the more respected acts in the indie world today? How about Sleep Station putting out historical concept albums about everything from NASA snafus to World War II? Max Bemis may be the king of rock opera, but he has nothing on Dave Debiak’s knowledge of Hitler’s Berlin.
Knowing the label’s propensity for these off kilter acts, The Modern Day Saint isn’t much of a risk. Ambitious at times, sure. For better or worse though, these guys are a pretty average band. Consequently, they do pretty average things on their debut full-length, …And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing.
In the interest of staying mundane, the lazy mush-mouthing of “On My Stereo” is a rare slip below the Mendoza line. The traveling man’s tune is made even worse when the high-pitched backing vocals come in at the two and a half minute mark. By the time the track explodes into a full on orchestral piece four minutes in, you’re already so turned off that not even the charms of a well-played harmonica can get you up again. Eyeball had a band that did this sort of music a lot better in All Rattle and Dust, they just broke up before they ever got a chance to prove it.
On the whole, “On My Stereo” is a moot point. It’s a slow leap away from the moodiness of Laymen Terms meets poetic tenacity of Bear Vs. Shark tone the rest of the album takes. MDS doesn’t realize the same emotional heights of either of those bands. Adam DiMuzio is no Andy Tanner, but he’s not Danny Tanner either. He’s got spunk picking up the faster verse, vaguely reminding you of Marc Paffi at the BVS frontman’s weaker moments. However, DiMuzio’s softer side is Modern Day Saint’s cross to bear. See “How to Walk on Water” for vocal evidence. Bottom line, if you’re looking for a so-so time, give …And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing a spin and set phasers to: Meh.
Today’s saints have nothing on St. Peter: “Solutions”, “What You Do Best”
The milkman, the paperboy, even MTV: Laymen Terms, Jena Berlin, The Bronx