Castevet

After reading the recent Zen post on these guys, I decided that I would download this release and give it a shot. It sounded pretty promising.

I was not dissapointed. In fact, I was so excited I had to get online and do this post.

Castevet's debut record kicks off with a slow, dreamy post-rock like build up that could very well take the record in a very different direction before the vocals kick in. While maintaining a melodic, clean sound that could easily be described as pretty, the vocalist sings in a growl that sounds like something between Marc Paffi (Bear Vs Shark), any 90's emocore record, Phil Douglas (Latterman, Iron Chic), and the dude from 1994. Musically, these guys are diverse. The band cites their influences as "ghosts and vodka, colossal, braid, caspian, casket lottery, small brown bike, american football, dianogah", and say they sound like "melodic beard punk". I would have to say that's about as close as anyone is going to get to describing the sound these guys have created. They are one of the few bands around today who are pushing new, fresh ideas in the emo/post-hardcore genres; they have created a sound that is truly original, something that preceding Chicago area bands like American Football, Cap'n Jazz, Braid, and the Promise Ring (to name only a famous few) did over ten years ago. They are part of an increasingly DIY American (and international) music scene that is overflowing with bold ideas, new sounds, and intelligent nods to the past; these are the records that will be going for hundreds on eBay one day, right alongside Rites of Spring LP's. This is the music that the cool kids ten years from now will be listening to.

You could've told me that this was a 7" released in the midst of a prolific and accomplished band's career and I wouldn't have second guessed you for a second. For a debut, the quality of these songs are absolutely outstanding.

These three songs will be featured on Castevet's upcoming full length Summer Fences which is due out this summer on Count Your Lucky Stars Recordings.

I know it's only February, but I'm gonna go ahead and call it: this is one of the best releases of the year. At least until the full length drops.

peep their space.

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I Know What a Lion Is (2009)