Old Crow/Young Cardinals?hit the music world Tuesday, June 23, and seems to be another hit for band Alexisonfire. This time, adding to their mind blowing mix of hardcore music with powerful vocals, the band is taking it one step further by expressing some deeper takes on life.?
Singer George Pettit says: “The sentiment of it was that life is as equally terrifying and horrible as it is its beautiful and wondrous.? That’s where it came from and I don’t know if it makes any sense,” (TrashHits.com). Well, some of it makes sense. A few songs show clear criticisms on society, America in particular, while other songs remain a little more up for interpretation. Either way, whether obvious or a slightly on the blurry side, the music is good.
The album boasts multiple different speeds and sounds, making it hard to choose one song over the rest — i’s strong as a whole.? Each song has a different quirky appeal. “Old Crows,” the opener, starts strong with a hard-headed chorus that definitely has that “stuck-in-your-head” quality, and unlike most pop songs, this is something you might actually want to be humming over and over.?
“Sons of Liberty,” which probably remains the most outspoken of the tracks lyric-wise, starts off a little softer in the metal department but has a harsher, angrier vibe. With lyrics like, “America, grin and bare the resentment of the world/ With all your ugliness and self-worth/ Desperate to grease the gears of the hideous machine,” the sentiment of the band is clear.
“Heading for the Sun,” remains in the more hazy group of tracks but readily allows for Pettit’s vocals to shine. Perhaps having less explicit lyrics leaves Pettit more uninhibited so he can jump in headfirst and be less concerned with what message is actually getting through.?
It’s clear there is some message, but what that is might remain only with the band. With lyrics like “They are the nameless victims of a generation lost/ Searching for somewhere to exist/ Held captive by our mistakes/ Weak and unable to resist,” it’s really anybody’s guess. “Burial” also showcases Pettit’s lyrics but in an entirely different way. This song keeps Pettit’s theme of fascination with the purity of nature going but in a very soothing way. The calmest track on the album, it could almost be a lullaby, and just shows more of Alexisonfire’s versatility.
As a whole Alexisonfire’s new album?Old Crow/Young Cardinals?is one that just keeps on giving. Each track adds something new their sound, and although they keep a unified feel throughout the album none of the songs sound alike. This is definitely an album fans should enjoy, and is not one newcomers should buy one song at a time. Go for the whole thing and let the adventure begin.
