Review: Crime in Stereo - I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone

Appears at http://www.nationalunderground.org/news/must-have-albums/190-crime-in-stereo-i-was-trying-to-describe-you-to-someone

Crime in Stereo has evolved considerably from their Long Island hardcore roots. This progression has yielded a notable amount of experimentation, which was adequately displayed on 2007’s Bridge Nine debut, Is Dead. I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone is a logical extension from that particular sound, though the realization of this comes mostly in retrospect. The unpredictably of Crime in Stereo’s music is immediately noticeable upon first listen. At first glance, the changes appear to be drastic and shocking, though subsequent listens entail an increased familiarity. Once the listener accepts the band’s commitment to creative evolution, however, it is easy to embrace this record for what it is.

The Brand New comparisons have been brought up repeatedly, so I’ll try to refrain from stressing that relation. It must be noted that regardless of their apparent influence (which was seemingly inevitable to begin with), Crime in Stereo has developed and matured according to their own unique ambitions. I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone contains few, if any instances of the straightforward melodic punk from which they built their initial fan base. On the contrary, this album explores new and unfamiliar territory, delving into sonic textures that are anything but simple.

Kristian Hallbert’s vocals evoke a great deal of emotion, though the lyrics aren’t confessional enough for me to fully draw the Conor Oberst comparison. The passion is similar, regardless, but the content itself has become increasingly ambiguous, which is fitting.

Songs such as the phenomenal “Exit Halo” touch on elements of shoegaze. “Exit Halo,” in particular, weaves through several different parts, including an extended bridge that features distorted guitar effects before building up to its climax, on which Hallbert’s vocals are at their most intense. Here, his vocal melodies overlap one another, rendering his screams as indecipherable without the accompaniment of the lyrics booklet, and yet this is probably his strongest performance. The wall of guitars leads to a brief, false ending, followed by the return of the most memorable, triumphant, powerful riff on the entire album.

Even at just under six minutes long, “Exit Halo” exemplifies only a small portion of the album’s creative ambition and diversity. The intro to “Young” features raw vocals over a lone guitar, a singer-songwriter-esque sound that quickly turns around, with a misleading bridge that builds intensity before settling into a mid-tempo, soft singalong. “I Am Everything I Am Not,” the title of which should provide some indication as to the ambiguity of the lyrics, ends with anthemic gang vocals emphasized by a faint, droning guitar somewhere in the distance.

The liner notes of I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone stress, “No synths, keys, drum machines, etc. were used on this recording.” To create such unique textures using traditional instruments is an impressive accomplishment, I must say. The large scale of the production is apparent, but it never relies on heartless, cheesy additions. Yes, the album might alienate traditionalists, but for those who are willing to keep an open mind, they should expect nothing more than the unexpected.

Discard any previous conceptions of hardcore. Crime in Stereo darlingly defies all genres, creating an exceptional album that refuses to be easily categorized (I’ve come to interpret the title as being self-referential in this respect, but that’s just me). After the initial surprise sets in, I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone demands repeated listens, as all revolutionizing albums do. From here, Crime in Stereo’s future direction is anyone’s guess.