Such Gold
Misadventures
Razor & Tie Records (2012)
Sounds Like: Exceptional melodic hardcore
Rating: 10/10
A lot of bands have been trying out melodic hardcore lately, but nobody has come close to the consistency and quality of Such Gold. In three short years, they assembled one hell of a discography of EPs and splits. But what would a full-length sound like? Misadventures provides the simple answer; this is the best Such Gold has ever sounded.
The very first track makes quite an impression. In classic Such Gold fashion, “Two Year Plan” treads the line between technical and melodic, producing a sound that is intricate and relentless without being confusing. The pop-punkish “Committee Circus” relies on a catchy chorus, as do “Keyhole M.O.” and “Another Day” but the strategy it at its absolute best on “Survival of the Fondest.” It’s a jam about reminiscing on something that left you with unanswered questions.
My favorite song, “Tell Yourself” is two and a half minutes of nasty rips, an awesome hook and breakneck drumming. It is at this point in Misadventures that I realized the percussion is really something else. Drummer Devan Bentley has sharp skills and a refusal to relax, which takes this album from good to great.
“Locked Out of the Magic Theater” and “You Are the Greatest Threat (The Doctor Will Serve You Now),” are both very different highlights of Misadventures. “Locked…” has a sporadic, coarse-feeling that is unequivocally great. The band makes this song remarkable by showing some groovy chops and reciting the catchy hook over a mellowed out tempo and spacey guitars. “You Are the Greatest Threat” (a marquee song in Such Gold’s catalog in my opinion) features everything this band has perfected, the pace, the lyrics, the desperate yet legible yells, and even the addicting harmony with which it ends. The vocals are distant and a rhythmic, soothing drum pattern compliments the final passage, “Familiar childhood dreams, they ended for me/I hear you talking in your sleep, I hear you…” I doubt there was a better way to end the album.
I had been eagerly anticipating this record since the day Such Gold announced plans for a full-length, and Misadventures doesn’t disappoint for one millisecond. It is the Such Gold you know and love flexing their creative muscles and putting together eleven of their best songs on one record. 2012 has been an amazing year for quality albums, but for me, Misadventures sits alone at the top. Whether you’ve never listened to Such Gold before or know every word to every song, this album is a necessity for your collection.
-Felipe Garcia
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