Review Summary: The Grey EP while being decent doesn't do much for the band. The band has done better and aside from Cove's vocals on some songs-the music has taken a step back into more of the post hardcore malaise.
You know I kinda feel bad for Saosin. What we've heard from their "signature" sound doesn't really have much originality or "uniqueness" since so many bands have copied/imitated their sound (for better and worse) since their 2003 EP. Though what makes up for it is the incredibly tightness from the band on all aspects. This is seen with their debut album which kept them atop the genre in a phenomenal way. The album was filled with a tight pulsating rhythm section, spider like (at times double) guitar leads, and Cove vocals which soar above the sound (at times in infectious harmony). What I described is (quite possibly) the typical "post-hardcore" sound: the cool thing about Saosin is that they managed to push the boundaries on the sound with their debut, keeping it fresh.
Unfortunately the Grey EP kinda hints towards the band falling out into the mediocrity. It still has the "Saosin" sound" but the tight infectious sound from their debut album is watered down. The songs themselves are not that bad but their just not strong enough-especially for a band that's known to be so tight. "Keep Secrets" and "Why Can't You See" are unbearable generic post-hardcore which do absolutely nothing upon listening. Not that it's bad but simply: we've heard this before-and done better. Even the screams in Keep Secrets sound unbearably bland and stale. You can here the Spencer Chamberlin undertone in the scream which is interesting for a moment but goes old fast. "Love Maker" is actually a pretty tight track that sounds reminiscent of "I Never Want To". The song has the same "Saosin" formula but ultimately it works decently with its nice build up from the verse to the chorus.
What ultimately saves the EP from being a complete bunk are the acoustic versions of "Come Close" and "Love Maker". If anything it shows Cove progressing as a vocalist. Cove stretches his vocal chords in a more of a lower tenor (tenor II?) vocal approach which is (at times) quite deep and rather intense. The harmonies on "Come Close" are rather pretty and infectious that shimmers through the song. The acoustic "Love Maker" is actually better than the original. Cove's soft vocal approach is rather intriguing because it's much more intense and convincing than its original version.
Ultimately if the EP does anything: it slightly shows Cove progression as a vocalist-as he tries to expand into more ranges. I believe the Anthony/Cove comparisons are not as applicable here since Cove manages to experiment more with his vocals and for most part making them work more in his own style.
However in the end, The Grey EP while being decent doesn't do much for the band. The band has done better and it will only appeal to some fans of the band. And aside from Cove's vocals on some songs-the music has taken a step back into more of the post hardcore malaise. And if this any indication of what the next album will be-Saosin are for sure going to fall into the mediocrity which flourishes in this saturated genre of post-hardcore.
