Review Summary: It can’t be so bad, it never was before.
Truth be told I wouldn’t worry anymore.
“Oh No” by Same Side is a record that might not grab you on the first listen. The solo project of Kevin Geyer, lead guitarist of The Story So Far, takes a different approach from the stylings of both the pop punk stalwarts and the straightforward emo of his other side project, Elder Brother. Instead, Same Side resides in the superb mixture of alternative, shoegaze, emo, dream pop, and singer-songwriter. The record is undoubtedly inoffensive, reinforced by its lean runtime of about 27 minutes. Common critiques of these sorts of records state that everything sounds too similar, the songs are boring, and nothing stands out. While that is an understandable sentiment, thinking that way about this record is doing an extreme disservice to it.
To put it simply, Kevin Geyer has an exceptional ear for melody, along with a true talent for layering sounds. Dynamics, tight songwriting, and interesting flairs and fills all find a home here. However, they are so expertly sprinkled in that one might have to look for them to find them. In short, the elements of the song never take away from the song itself, imprinting a smooth listening experience. Acoustic and/or electric guitars meld with synth, bass, drums, and softly sung vocal lines to create soundscapes that find the perfect balance between saccharine and melancholy. The lyrical content complements this with talk of trying to find peace during struggle, finding good in an unpleasant situation, and overall, just trying to chill out and take it in stride when things are going awfully awry. One feels like Mr. Geyer is trying to shrug and brush things off, but he “can’t shake this sinking feeling.”
“Before” opens the record with synths, almost sounding like something Mort Garson or Gentle Giant would start a song with. The LP’s mission statement is sung soon after, “Coming out of thin air/The calm before the storm/It can’t be so bad, it never was before/Truth be told, I wouldn’t worry anymore.” As portrayed on the album’s cover, a simple “Oh No,” is all you will get from Kevin when he breaks your window playing baseball in his backyard. Meanwhile, you are screaming “KEVIN!!!!!!” like you are in Home Alone, but I digress. “Before” bleeds into “Now,” with a groovy start/stop riff that continues until about the midway part of the song. There, the instrumentation crescendos to a fuzzy shoegaze breakdown, before settling right back into the verse again.
“Cruise” starts with an addictive acoustic riff, which is again expanded upon by other instruments, with lyrics that feel like a day you force yourself out of bed to take a drive along the coastline before blowing some steam off with a couple MGD’s. It is an enjoyable day on paper, but something is just off, and you need to do it to keep yourself sane. The album continues much in the same vein, some songs showcasing more of one genre than another, but always having a cohesive sound from track to track. There is not much of a weak point here, unless a 1-minute interlude would bother you. All songs on the record are worth giving a listen to, with strong instrumentation and lyricism.
Then, before you know it, the record is over. It is time to stop complaining about things, dust yourself off, and keep pushing forward. Quite a lot easier to say than to do, but luckily, we have records like this one to fall back on. Fans of any of the above listed genres should find something to love here. Take Kevin’s advice and kill some time alone with this record.
