1905 - 2002 Voice

Band : 1905

Album : Voice

Release Year : 2002

Genre : Screamo / Hardcore / Punk

Tracklist : 

1. Introduction
2. Control
3. Fall
4. Quote
5. Voice
6. Can't Change Everything
7. Side by Side
8. Missing
9. Go
10. Throw
11. You're Wrong
12. Silhouette
13. A Conversation
14. For Sale

1905 is the poppiest band you'll ever hear who have had the "emo" label slapped onto them other than Grade. They could be confused with a lot of punk or pop punk bands if it weren't for the fact that double-time beats don't really figure in to their formula that often. There is screaming, but it's not the all-out emotional bleating of a true emo band. Some of their songs feature extensive acoustic guitar and singing. And on top of that their lyrics have a sociopolitical focus. Come on. Where's the heartbreak? Aside from being left of center for an "emo" band, are they actually good? Yes and no.

So, 1905 is sorta different. Big whoop. Their overall sound is sort of trapped between punk's speed and emo's emotional power, neither invigorating nor moving the listener more than offerings from either genre could do straight on their own. Sure there are some awesome songs. "Control" is 1905 at their fastest and most exciting. "Quote" is a pretty track with poignant female vocals and a nice acoustic chord progression. The album closer "For Sale" is oddly reminiscent of Boy's Life and other Midwest bands but shoved through a modernized, punk filter. However, there are also fatty duds, including the tracks "Silhouette" and "Conversation," which don't provide anything interesting for the album as a whole and aren't even really that interesting as individual songs. Overall, the album just feels flat despite the stand out tracks. The lame and the awesome cancel each other out.
The end result of this canceling out? Voice is enjoyable but skippable. Pass it up for better albums by similar bands. If you like the DC aspects of the bands' sound listen to Navies or Life at These Speeds. If you like the female vocals check out Circle Takes the Square. If you like the acoustic poppiness just listen to Damien Rice. It's really that easy. You don't need to unceremoniously shove all of those sounds into a blender to enjoy them all.

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