The Effort - Wartime Citizens
Rating
RIYL
VerseDefeater
The Carrier
Release Date
07/04/2010
Label
Panic RecordsTracklist
1. The Price of Man(ipulation)2. 1958
3. Our Burdens (Lost in the Continental Constellation)
4. There's Still Hope for You
5. Dear Sarah,
6. Occupied and Mesmerized (The Tale of Destabalized Life)
7. To the Top, All the Way
8. Digital Snow (Analog Sirens)
9. Made in China
10. Wartime Citizens
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Although the hardcore scene is still alive and well today, it’s rare to find a band that puts out solid material backed by lyrics about relevant issues in today’s society. However, one such band is The Effort, who have been making a name for themselves the past few years with a variety of 7” releases, one full length, consistent touring, and an outspoken point of view that deserves to be heard by the masses. On their sophomore LP, Wartime Citizens, The Effort provides an all out assault on the American government with their up-tempo brand of melodic hardcore that will hopefully inspire listeners to pursue change in our failing democratic system.
The marching drum beat in “The Price of Man(ipulation)” starts off the album appropriately as Tony Auger passionately screams: “We’ve been manipulated our whole lives, because there’s been this war over our minds, that’s why they want you to consume – the alcohol, the pills, and the morning news.” A guitar riff then kicks in to propel the song into motion, creating a sense of urgency that fades into the second track. The first part of the album goes by in a flash; the songs are decent but there’s not enough differentiation to give them a distinct feel.
Wartime Citizens really starts to pick up at “Dear Sarah,” which is a condemnation of Sarah Palin, with a well placed sound clip from her, and a vocal ferocity that hadn’t been fully unleashed until this point in the album. Two songs later, “To the Top, All the Way” features a slow, rhythmic last half where the music relaxes itself and Auger is left to his own devices to go on a near two-minute screaming rant. The fast vocals and sluggish music create an interesting dynamic that helps lead into “Digital Snow,” one of the standout tracks on the album. This song consists of mellow guitar and sparse percussion, as Auger is put in the spotlight, and it serves as a nice breather from the fast paced nature of the rest of the LP. The title track closes out the record and although the music isn’t necessarily noteworthy, it’s worth mentioning the alarm clock going off at the end, serving as a wake up call for those who are listening.
About half the songs on Wartime Citizens are great, while the other half are simply good. A reorganized track listing or maybe another slower song towards the beginning would have stopped the earlier tracks from blending together, which is the LP’s main weakness. The only other shortcoming is the album’s length; with an epic theme and lyrics to back it up, adding another well thought out ten minutes would have turned Wartime Citizens into a true gem. That being said, this is still a quality release from The Effort that needs to be heard by anyone who enjoys aggressive music with a message.
--Nicholas Fritz
Comments
Minnesota
Pretty good album. I appreciate their message and didn't find anything wrong with the release, but I just don't know if I'll be coming back to it a lot. Can't really pinpoint why other than it didn't quite hold on to my attention after a listen or two.
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Coopersburg, PA
Yeah, I know what you mean, I don't think I'll be coming back to it very often either. Like you said, there's nothing wrong with it, but nothing really stands out either. In my head - the music gets a 3/5 and I bumped it up by .5 because of the lyrical content.
Lehigh Valley, PA
Always a solid hardcore band. Good review Nick