We ain't got no place to go

DECEMBER UNDERGROUND

AFI

Major record label etiquette usually dictates that after purchasing a successful band on a smaller label, said label pressures previously successful band to produce quick marketable hits, driving said band away from what made them successful and promptly into the ground. AFI's staying power has survived these pressures, due primarily to a loyal following cultivated on NITRO. December Underground provides fans with what they love, a screaming Davey Havok and the rest of the boys banging away at their poppy emo-core. Though the songs are noticeably more marketable than previous tracks, the record as a whole retains the vintage AFI sound that made them a favorite amongst scenesters for years. Songs like the opener, "Prelude 12/21" offer the slow, building beat that drives crowds into frenzy, while "Kill Caustic" shows that the wild emotion never died in a band that's stuck around far longer than their peers. The disc moves forward, but the hackneyed "Miss Murder" really drives down the building emotion. December Underground never really recovers, though there are musical highpoints, particularly on "Endlessly, She Said", which starting slow, delivers a great finish. A lack of cohesion does this record in, however, the tracks never really hit their stride.

-- AC Lerok

Eyes Open

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol's newest album Eyes Open encapsulates the best and worst of rock and roll. Unfortunately, the first half of Eyes Open typify the newest form of indie rock: vapid complaints lain over eccentric synth and soaring guitar riffs. With a heavy, rhythmic, and unwavering guitar pulse behind tracks like "Hands Open" and "Shut

Your Eyes," the first half of Eyes Open seems uninspired in its execution, especially with Gary Lightbody's vocals plodding along. Because both vocals and instrumentation make no effort to vary their pace, rhythm, or tone, any sort of emotional relevance is lost. Although Lightbody may be talking about the most horrible of breakups, neither his voice nor the guitars indicate any sort of mood, leaving the listener without context and not really caring either.

Eyes Open isn't completely without merit however, since the second half of the album rebounds quickly from the ambiguity of the first. "You Could Be Happy" ditches the guitar riffs and starts from scratch, with xylophone-esque melodies playing delicately behind Lightbody. Now, with such a well-crafted tune supporting the crooner's voice, Lightbody's tale of heartbreak and regret all of a sudden seems to click neatly into place. A sweeping orchestral string section only adds emphasis to the vocalists' newly found strength. By the time the guitars triumphantly return in "Headlights on Dark Roads," Lightbody, background vocals, and instrumentation seem more confident in message and delivery. Although the album nearly reaches its conclusion by "Open Your Eyes," the ninth track indicates that maybe Snow Patrol is capable of weaving compelling narrative with various musical textures.

By the end of the album, Snow Patrol finally seems worthy of the acclaim that college students nation-wide freely give them. A stellar second half, however, doesn't justify a lackluster first, which ultimately drags the CD down. Eyes Open is worth a listen through, but maybe if you take the first couple of tracks with a grain of salt.

-- Derek Mazique

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