Review Summary: it occurred to me that I've never been this happy in my life
Around this time one year ago, Sorority Noise put out a rather short LP titled
You’re Not As __ As You Think and I fell in love with it. You can argue that the band’s music is uninspired and bland. You can argue that they’re the most overrated emo band of the last decade. You can even try to argue that releasing a complete re-imagining and rearrangement of an album just a year later is nothing but a shameless cash grab. But the reason I fell in love with this album one year ago and the reason that I enjoy this new version is that Cameron Boucher’s words and emotions come off as extremely genuine to me. Reading his life story and the background surrounding the past couple years of his life make listening to songs like “First Letter From St. Sean” hit so much harder than it should. I can feel real grief and regret coming from his voice throughout the record. I’m not lying when I tell you that I always get at least a little choked up every listen, every time in a different spot. The music is simple and apes from a lot of inspiration but damn it if it doesn’t just feel right to me. While I prefer the original by a little bit,
YNAAYT with all its strings and atmosphere contribute to a wholly new experience that lends to the same feelings of catharsis I felt back then. You can argue that Sorority Noise is the most watered-down, sorry excuse for a band you’ve ever seen in years. You can’t take away the knot in my stomach for hearing a man pour his heart out for his dead friend.
In writing this review, I have just seen the news that Sorority Noise is announcing an indefinite hiatus after they finish their tour. I feel that they could have given no better send off than this album and last year’s original. They were not the best, for sure, but they showcased a good amount of genuine emotion that kept me coming back again and again. I wish them the best for wherever the future takes them.
