Into It. Over It.
Proper
No Sleep Records (2011)
Sounds Like: Indie, pop-punk, Midwest emo, and punk rock wrapped up tightly in a deliciously satisfying musical burrito.
Score: 10/10
Evan Weiss has been very busy. The vocalist/guitarist from Chicago has been releasing massive amounts of quality material over the last few years, both on his own as Into It. Over It., and as part of bands like Map the Growth, Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start, and Stay Ahead of the Weather. (Side note: SAOTW put out an EP at the end of 2010 called We Better Get Goin’ If We’re Gonna, which rules.) He has also recorded great split albums with bands like Such Gold and Koji. Perhaps most impressive, he wrote a song for every week of the year in 2007 and released it under the Into It. Over It. name as the gem-filled 52 Weeks. Proper, though, is IIOI’s debut studio album, and it makes quite a first impression.
“Embracing Facts” starts the record off with a drum sequence that I thought couldn’t get any better until I heard the guitars join in. It’s a simple song about self-realization and shows you how unusual, yet melodic IIOI’s songs can be. “Staring at the Ceiling” shows a lot of stylistic range, with quiet vocals and sweeping little guitar licks at its outset that wouldn’t suggest the heavier song it turns into. You also have songs like “No Good Before Noon” and “The Frames That Used To Greet Me” which simply showcase catchy guitar sequences and silky-smooth vocals. They’re mellow, thoughtful, and just plain beautiful.
It’s important to note that this record wouldn’t be nearly as great as it is without the help that Weiss has behind him. I suffer from the chronic need to air drum and letting me get my hands on this album was like giving an alcoholic an extra liver. Proper is laced with creative drum lines and superb drum fills. “Write It Right” exhibits an amazing bridge with intricate percussion, muffled but poignant lyrics, and even a funky little guitar solo. “Connecticut Steps” might just be my favorite track of them all. It’s a slow song about losing someone close to you, but it has a biting edge to it and you can feel Weiss’s bitterness through the speakers as it rides a mesmerizing beat.
Lyrically, Proper is one of the highlights of the year. Every song has a line or two that will make you shake your head and smile at how superbly written it is. “Embracing Facts” leads off with a favorite of mine, “How the hell could I have been so dumb? As an outspoken man with a well-sharpened tongue, I sorta thought I’d start to change with age but I’ve just stayed the same.” “P R O P E R” is about accepting the fact that you can’t find the answers to life in a smoky bar, with lines like “This is a night worth saving. I’ll pour my doubts onto the floor, and wear away the pavement between my back porch and your door.” Most importantly, Weiss’s vocals suit the emotion of the songs perfectly. Think of a cleaner and fuller hybrid of the vocals of Motion City Soundtrack and Death Cab for Cutie.
I dare you to try and pigeonhole Proper into any one genre. Sure, it has its punk rock moments, and its indie moments, but not enough of either to sway me. In the end I just threw my hands in the air and stopped trying to classify it, because all I wanted to do was listen to the music.
-Felipe Garcia
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