Mixtapes - Somewhere In Trinsic EP
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Record Label: Animal Style Records
Simply put, Mixtapes’ Somewhere In Trinsic EP is a very accurate teaser for the band’s upcoming debut full-length, Even On the Worst Nights. This is obvious enough for one reason, that the title track from that LP is the first song on this EP. “Even On the Worst Nights” is a mid-tempo song, actually one of the slowest ones on the full-length, but still manages to be a fairly good representation of what fans should be expecting. Ryan Rockwell and Maura Weaver complement each other in the vocal department, accompanied by fairly simple pop-punk/pop-rock musicianship.
The chorus of “We just don’t surrender / It’s hard to talk about it when you don’t remember / And I think that even on the worst nights / It tends to be all right,” plays out as a fairly typical chorus from the band. As we’ve seen on numerous EPs and split releases before this one, Mixtapes does a good job of remaining catchy enough to keep our attention, and on this track, demonstrates its usually hopeful brand of lyricism as well. Rockwell has talked at length in interviews about his personal life and the trials that led to Mixtapes’ origin, and hopeful lyrics like these have managed to invade the band’s songs over its entire career. Although the musicianship might seem happy-go-lucky, the lyricism sometimes reveals a lot more about the band’s personal life. “All the Mistakes We Made (Are Gonna Lead To All the Important Things We’re Gonna Do” is built oddly similar to “Even On the Worst Nights.” For this reason, it’s easy enough to write off as a B-side, but really stacks up just fine to the rest of the band’s catalog.
The closing “P.E.T.S.O.U.N.D.S.” is carried by Weaver’s lead vocals and is a nicely uptempo way to end the EP. “Driving home, I found new beginnings,” Weaver sings, again as Mixtapes provides a taste of hopefulness. If Somewhere In Trinsic were just another short EP or Mixtapes’ side of a split, it would be adequate enough, but in fact it’s just a precursor for Even On the Worst Nights, and it’s obvious that the band has made sure to leave its best work for that.
Disclaimer for the score: It really does seem trivial to score a three-song EP featuring one song that is going to be on a full-length in a month and a half and two songs that are best described as B-sides, but have at it...
I think putting out this EP is a good move for publicity and marketing purposes, but the full-length will completely overshadow it, and that's a good thing.
Even On The Worst Nights definitely overshadows the other two songs IMO, so I can see how you'd say that the full length will overshadow this EP. I personally feel like Even On The Worst Nights is one of the best songs in the Mixtapes catalog so far.
I love these guys. My friends and I grabbed burritos with them when they came around with Set Your Goals, and they are some of the coolest/nicest people to hang out with.
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