“grade-under the radar”
Grade
Under the Radar
Victory
Grade
Triumph and Tragedy EP
Victory
Under the Radar ? More like under the weather, the imminently scene-friendly Grade waxing bittersweet all over 11 tracks of emo-punk. And for those individuals embarrassingly keen about punk’s micro-microcosms, you know exactly what that means: teary-eyed kids stomping n’ swaying every which way their magical backpacks move their emotions. But with a dreadlocked vocalist who sometimes screams the straps off his backpack, Grade can whip up a mightily hummable frenzy, but you’ve still gotta’ ask: what’s the fuss all about? (Note: the Triumph and Tragedy EP culls two tracks from the band’s aforementioned Victory debut and adds a tepid cover of Van Halen’s “Panama.”)
Victory Records, 346 N. Justine St., Suite 504, Chicago, IL 60607; http://www.victoryrecords.com
