Review Summary: Ugly but Honest
Carissa's Wierd is a depressing band, like really depressing. The short lived,but extremely influential band's formidable blend of minor key guitar arpeggios, softly played stacatto piano, subtle violin parts, and complimenting male and female vocals manage to create a somber, melancholy atmosphere that is almost unparalleled.
Songs About Leaving almost feels like a distant, fleeting memory played out over twelve beautifully crafted songs. Every track feels like a piece belonging to a larger puzzle, with strong feelings of regret, loss, rumination, and depression interweaving each track. From the opener "You Should Be Hated Here's" painfully slow tempo that barely manages to climb to a mid tempo during its climax, to "Ignorant Piece of shit's" infectious guitar parts, and reserved, yet powerful drums, Carissa's Wierd showcase their ability to make you feel like shit even when their music is catchy and infectious beyond belief. Carissa's Wierd's music is a perfect metaphor for depression: it brings you down, it makes time seem slower, it's unsettling, it's isolating, and when you're already knee deep in it, you wouldn't have it any other way.
