Review: The World Is A Beautiful Place...
“intricate guitar riffs, swirling synthesizers, and mesmerizing string”
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During the mid-90’s, emo was a respected, underground music genre that was cultivated by influential artists like Cap’n Jazz, The Promise Ring, and American Football. Fifteen years later, after emo finally broke with bands like Jimmy Eat World and My Chemical Romance, much of the style’s innovative flavor and rawness was softened for mainstream appeal. Nowadays, many fans of emo tend to be scene kids who listen to All Time Low and drape themselves in refurbished RealD glasses and Hot Topic “Free Hugs” shirts.
However, there are our 21st century versions of Cap’n Jazz, The Promise Ring, and American Football. One band that revives the true 90’s emo experience and is gaining a following is The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (a.k.a. TWIABP).
Whenever, If Ever, TWIABP’s debut full-length, is an ethereal emo voyage across intricate guitar riffs, swirling synthesizers, and mesmerizing string arrangements.
The production on Whenever, If Ever is louder and much bigger than their Josh Is Dead and Formlessness EPs, which were basically lo-fi recorded demos. The instrumentation on Whenever, If Ever is richer and more focused.
The album kicks off with the post-rock intro “blank #9.” It quietly creeps into “Heartbeat in The Brain,” during which a palm-muted B major chord progression swims through half-time drums, subtle cellos, and bright keyboard lines. “Ultimate Steve” is a hazy, palatial build-up to an explosion of beautiful gang vocals.
I love how TWIABP experiments with emo, like adding trumpets, cellos, and synthesizers. Compared to their previous releases, Whenever, If Ever is less distorted and smoother. So far, Whenever is one of the year’s best emo releases.
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Eli Zeger is a 14 year-old musician and contributor of articles/reviews to such sites as Undergrind, CVLT Nation, American Aftermath, The Culture Whore, The Montclair Times, Audio Brain Food, Keyboard n' Synth, and a bunch more.