Music Review: ABOLITIONIST – At the Level of the Ear 7″ / It Used To Rain LP
ABOLITIONIST
At the Level of the Ear 7” // It Used To Rain LP
[1859 Records]
Verdict: 6.0 // 6.5
The two track 7”, At the Level of the Ear, serves a simple purpose: new listeners will be given the chance to hear that Abolitionist play fairly standard punk while standing for a cause (in the case of this release: 5% of sales benefited Partners-In-Health). This introduction may downplay the band, but that’s because the 7” didn’t offer too much. It’s not very memorable, but is decent nonetheless. However, the LP that came later, It Used To Rain, was a good step forward. While the album, as a whole, is a solid piece of work, the first portion is certainly the best. The first track, “Flaming Barricades”, is instantly memorable and catchy, kicking the LP off on an excellent note. The following songs, including “No Water” and “My AK”, follow in a similar vein. Each of these tracks plays like an anthem, even if not necessarily fist-pumping. As the LP continues on, it loses some steam admittedly, but still fairs as a very solid punk outing. It may not be breaking any barriers or sticking in your head for days to come, but when placed under the needle, that provide a good time. – By Nathaniel Lay
>> Recommended Tracks: “Flaming Barricades”, “No Water”, “My AK”
>> Vinyl Notes: The 7” has good production behind it, courtesy of United Record Pressing. The LP, on the other hand, is extremely well done. The sleeve/folder (whatever you call it) has a smooth feel to it, and the printing is beautiful. Inside, we found a nice poster, a white LP, and a lyric insert.
>> In Conclusion: Fans of more standard punk should love Abolitionist. They keep it simple and pretty straight forward. More tracks like “No Water” and “Flaming Barricades” could really make their next record more memorable. The band just have a tendency to sound like they’re still in the midst of figuring out the kinks in their songs, as if their in the process of jamming them out as the recorder takes down their notes.
