I am the Avalanche
Avalanche United
I Surrender (2011)
RIYL: The Movielife, Bayside, Polar Bear Club
Score: 9/10
The story of Brooklyn NY’s I am the Avalanche is one that has been told many times, but it’s a story that bears repeating. The band was started by vocalist Vinnie Caruana in 2004, shortly after the dissolution of his previous band The Movielife. They released one album, a self-titled record in 2005, before their label, Drive Thru, went on an indefinite hiatus. Due to contract issues, the band found itself unable to record and release new music for over half a decade, filling the time by playing the occasional one-off show and Movielife reunion. Now in 2011, The Movielife having played their final shows, I am the Avalanche is back, on a new label, and have finally unleashed their sophomore effort Avalanche United.
So the big question is, was it worth the considerable wait? It only takes a few seconds of the deceptively upbeat first track, “Holy Fuck,” to answer that question with a resounding and enthusiastic YES. The band uses the song’s poppy exterior to mask lyrics of heartache and the story of the breakup between Caruana and his wife, with Caruana raspily coming to grips with being “alone for the first time in five years,” trying to fix things but ultimately realizing it’s over. The contrast between the poppy music and fun gang vocals and the emotion in Caruana’s voice creates a song that is both happy and heartbreaking, the dichotomy working together for what I believe to be one of the year’s best singles.
The majority of the songs on Avalanche United are also imbued with pop punk hooks, making them so much more instantly catchy than anything the band has done before. “You’ve Got Spiders” and “Casey’s Song” are prime examples. They’ll get stuck in your head on first listen, but they have enough lyrical substance, talking about rising above bottom feeders and a tribute to a hardworking friend, respectively, to keep you coming back for repeat listens. While I hate to compare this record too much to The Movielife, as Caruana has made it clear those days are in the past and he’s ready to move on, it’s worth mentioning that fans of the frontman’s former band who had a hard time getting into I am the Avalanche’s debut, which is generally heavier and slower than the former, will likely have an easier time enjoying this record. It feels like a bridge between what the Movielife was doing on their final album and what IATA started with their last.
That being said, there is still a healthy dose of the heaviness and relaxed pace that made self-titled stand out from Caruana’s previous work. “I’ll Be Back Around,” for instance, sounds like it would fit perfectly on the 2006 disk, and the lyrics dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, hoping “one day there will be no pills or hospital visits and we’ll take back our lives” are perfectly realized and relatable, making the track really stand out. “Brooklyn Dodgers,” a demo of which has been floating around for some time now, sounds fantastic rerecorded here. The song pays tribute to the band’s hometown of Brooklyn, focusing on the family lineage and shared history of those who have made the city their home. The band goes in another direction on “Is This Really Happening?,” a rare love song for the band, which channels Social Distortion for the great opening riff.
It’s all too common for bands to suffer from the dreaded “sophomore slump” and equally difficult to come back after an extended absence and reclaim the spark that made the band work so well the first time around. I am the Avalanche have overcome both of these and succeed in creating that rare sequel that retains what worked with the original and improves on everything else, resulting in one of the most satisfying albums of the year.
-Emily Matview
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