Review Summary: Inkwell? Never heard of them. I can't even find them in Google, couldn't they pick a better name, easier to find? Maybe that's the reason why they're not as big as they deserve to be. Because, oh yeah, this album is excellent.
Inkwell. One of those bands that is below the radar, without good reason. The first time I heard from them, was in my purevolume.com-phase. I had a boring vacation so my days consisted of checking out every band that came up at PureVolume. I found some interesting bands, heard some of the first stuff Panic! At The Disco came out with, they became pretty big. And then there's Inkwell. Never lifted off, but in my opinion this is one of the better emo (Yes, I just flat-out called it emo) albums of these last couple of years.
Overall sound
This is emo-music at it's finest. Nothing too melodramatic, nothing too dark. Sometimes cynical, sometimes sad, sometimes uplifting and sometimes... well... emotional. I might even want to throw the word "epic" in there. Although they're basic layout is based on the usual rock band, they're not restricted to it. There is enough (and not too much) alternation in sounds, keyboards and electronics to keep it interesting. Don't look for your hardcore emo-music here, not in line with Saosin or Senses Fail. Think more Emery (the screamingless stuff) and Tickle Me Pink.
The only two sole members, Travis and Davey, tie the entire thing together with terrific vocals. Two distinct voices, make strong appearances, either together or seperate. The lyrics fit well in the style and feel of the entire album. Songs about love, hope, alienating from your hometown and long distance relationships all work and make sure it's not just one basic feeling that's being put out there. This album came out in the time of the "lets all make crazy titles that have nothing to do with the songs, but sound oddly funny"-craze. The only thing that makes Inkwell stand out is that they're lyrics in their songs are sometimes actually as weird as the title. Overall Sound is a good-un :)
Oh God, It IS a Track-By-Track, God Damn it!
Not quite, this will be just a handful of the albums tracks, worth discussing. If you read it and end up thinking it's a stupid way of reviewing, I owe you a cookie of some sorts.
Just Take The Monkey And Leave
"There are angels on my shoulder and I would kill them if I could" Starts it off rather odd. With a chorus based around the lines "We're sorry, it's just a joke. And I'm starting to get the punchline now" you already get a good understanding of what the band is about. A nice-flowing song with some simple chords, it shows perfectly that their strength lies in their vocal abilities. But before you get a chance to write that conclusion on paper you get the intermission in the song. An epic climb, with strings and ambience to pull you back in even harder when they get back on the track. A good representation of what's to come.
Equador Is Lovely This Time Of Year
A nice example of what they're average will be on the album. Not a very special song, though their build-ups and hooks are still above par. The electronics come into play at the end as a nice subtle extra.
No You Drop It
The first three songs get us in the state of Indie Rock/Emo quite well. Now what the hell is this track?! "I'm coming out swinging" will get stuck in your head after hearing this. A nice softer and more electronic song than the others. It's obvious that they're pretty good with producing and effects because everything they add, helps to finish this song perfectly.
These Stars Are Monsters
Ah, the title-track. Worthy as one as well. A strong and depressing song that builds up to a beautiful chorus where the two harmonize to sing "(So don't forget to) Hold on. Good times are on the rise!". This is a beautifully structured and strong piece of music. Strings add this effect and the intermission (recognizable like the one in Just Take The Monkey And Leave) gives you the feeling of standing on a big ship in the middle of a sea storm. The ending is there to guide it all back home and you feel like you just witnessed an epic piece from a musical.
I'm Winning The Race
"So how is Memphis, tonight? Are you still alone? Is your face smiling by?" Losing somebody by distance. A nice soft song and works perfectly with the theme. Yep, emo-music. Gotta love it.
We Are The Captains Of The Sea
The closer. A sad start "Wake, it's morning. It's time to get dressed" makes you want to do that even less. Around halfway into the song it changes the tone. It's the same uplifting spirit found throughout the entire album. A sort of pessimistic optimism that justifies it all. And so the album ends with a sort of nice smile.
If you think this all sounds a little too much as if I have drugs in my system, I must warn you that this is all written sober. Try to read this with an open mind or better yet, listen to this album. A strong album worthy to be in any top 10 list of best emo-albums in the last 10 years.
