Schatzi
Fifty Reasons to Explode
Mammoth
These guys really know how to turn back the clock! The is high grade, early ’90s, Jawbox-ish emo-core, with a focus less on the angular and more on the melodic. Fifty Reasons to Explode is a testament to just how good this band can be.
The best thing about this record is the way in which it pretty much ignores the current trends of today’s “emo” (except for the ocassional Moog snippet!) – these guys rock without pretention and corniness. Their songs pound, plod, and gallop simultaneously, and the band allows time for songs to develop, as is the case with the wonderful “Song For Stephanie.” The final track, “Guitars Vs. Humans,” reminds me of Rush crossed with Weezer.
The best comparison I can make, though, would have to be Jawbox’s sound, Braid’s song structure, and Superchunk’s delivery of material. These guys are really freakin’ good, and it surprises me that Jimmy Eat World would get big before Schatzi, given how good their Alphabet record was. I’m guessing that one of these songs will pop up somewhere on the radio, given the current acceptance of poppier punk stuff. This is a 100% recommended CD for just about anybody, with exception being given to metal fans, who will call this “wussy.”
Schatzi: http://www.schatzi.net
