by Gabriel Fars
I think that this is the type of EP you would dismiss at first. The type that you need to learn how to love. Like those tracks that you always initally skip but then when you actually give it a listen you discover it’s the best song you’ve ever heard in your entire fucking life.
The nasally vocals will probably either throw you off or add a little bit of that extra grunge for you. With a sound similar to The Mountain Goats, or Weezer, they definitely have a very alternative punk sound about them. I think the vocals give the EP a more youthful sound, reminding me of those bygone highschool days, of walking through the hallways, running your hand up against the lockers, and thinking about both the good times and the bad ones that were had.
The guitar riffs are probably one of the best parts of the album. You can have a good rock riff without having to turn up the distortion and effects so much you can’t hear the guitar clearly. middleTimes gets that. They understand how to use their musical abilities to elevate the song, and let the meaning of the lyrics ring out more through the instrumental parts.
I think this is done really well on the track “Sustenance,” a song that’s a lot about feeling as though you’re cruising through life without really doing anything or without truly being happy with where you’re at. Are you really happy with where you are in life? With the person you are? Are those small moments really enough to sustain you to keep going? Are you going through your third midlife crisis? Do you have enough sustenance in your life? I think the melodic guitar part, in contrast with the passionate vocals really add to the meaning of the song.