Fall Out Boy’s affect on the Chicago scene is unprecedented. Their success left us with a slew of up-in-coming pop-punk hopefuls following in their wake. The KOC has become the venue of choice for local acts and sugary melodies aren’t an uncommon aspect to the array of four-to-five piece contenders. There are quite a few gems to be found in such a scene, though (see: Love Me Electric and The Elation). Recently I had a chance to listen to such a band. Already making the pages of Alternative Press, A Fading Memory prove their worth with four resilient songs, a testament to Chicago’s ability to spit out the best and brightest of the genre.
The Summer EP is a consistently upbeat tidal wave of lyrical defiance and enthusiastic guitar play. The production is surprisingly well-played, accenting the band’s ability to keep in check with one another while exploring their own talents. Adam is the epitome of a “backbone”, seemingly without fault through and through. Jay parades his vocal talents expertly, although not as full-force as the instrumentation favors. Choruses are under lock and key, though, as they’re almost always done correctly owing to Jay’s suave, yet excited, projection. See “A Slash In My Less Than Three” for a good representation. Starts and stops are timed perfectly with Jay’s smooth verse carry, singing out just as well in the chorus with, “I’m the reason for the letdown/Don’t let me get away with this”
AFM isn’t charting any new territory, but they are taking stabs at perfecting what has been done. “We Don’t Have Time For Timeouts” wears its influences on its proverbial sleeves, but they take a road less traveled by shooting for a straight-out ride, with little distractions from the bands textbook cohesion. A dynamic bridge, sporting a stellar guitar “solo”, breaks forthright into the following verse, setting in stone the Summer EP’s accessibility and thoroughness . “Give the Boy Some Room” is similar to the latter, a straight-shot through, mad pop-punk style.
A Fading Memory’s debut EP is a soundtrack to the edgy yet buoyant nature of everyone’s favorite season. This introduction to such a promising band will be the must have of the merch tables and a valuable keepsake documenting the raw talent of today’s youth. It won’t hit Chicago nearly as hard as Take This To Your Grave Did, but its showing signs of the commendable ambitions it takes to get there.
is there like no girls
that go on absolutepunk...
i feel left out.
i know afm has a lot of
female fans
cause i think that
the guys are like
sex symbols.
a lot of girls are always singing
along with jay and yelling and screaming
at their kick ass shows
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