Review Summary: "I can't trust the fall"
Half alive are an indie-pop band from California. This is there debut EP, 3. It has 3 songs. That's it. There's not much else to say. They are a really uninteresting band. Yet, as performers, they are captivating. They write nice electro-pop songs and seem to understand what the public perception of them is. And this EP isn't awful, it's just not worth it. It's not worth caring about, not worth repeated listens and not worth streaming. Due to its short length, I will focus on each song individually.
Track 1: The Fall
The EP opens strong, cause this song is great. Its lyrics are nonsense, teenage ramblings but feel important. It opens with the lyrics "These words are supposed to be simple, but it seems that’s not the case" and I like that. It shows the band are aware they aren't the most original or groundbreaking but understand what it takes to be. I do enjoy the performance, it feels like the only track on this EP where they are trying to distinguish themselves, everything feels tight and controlled. The singer's vocals sound good as well, he uses dynamics well and makes the song sound like a plea for help. Overall pretty great.
Score: 4/5
Track 2: Aawake at night
This is where the EP falls apart. Beyond the awful title, the song is so bland. The choruses sound like they just yelled whatever they felt like down a microphone and didn't bother thinking about it. The band's performance is ok but feels uninspired, again, like no thought went into it. This song just feels too hollow to be impactful. Not good at all.
Overall: 1.5/5
Track 3: Tip Toes
I hate this song. This is the biggest twenty-one pilots I've ever heard, and I'm not that big a fan of twenty-one pilots. The performance isn't great, very generic drum rhythm and poor vocals. The production is muddy and bland and makes me dislike the song even more. I personally hate any song that contains the lyric "ego". I had this same reaction to simple creatures song "special". This song ruins the EP for me.
Overall 0/5
Overall
I want to like this band, but this is not a good opening EP. They have an album out which I do really like and plan to review, but this was my first exposure to the band, and I had a really strong negative reaction. If you're getting into this band, don't bother with this EP. Start with the album. Trust me.
