STANDARDS - SELF TITLED DEBUT EP
So Cal power duo Standards burst onto the scene suddenly and with much anticipation they present us with their debut EP.
Standards' debut EP is full of warm tones, bright color and inviting melodies. Starting out with track 1 "Kale and Strawberries" a familiar vibe ensues with the beginning riff and I wonder if this is what it would sound like if Maps and Atlases had gone math rock with their song "Vampires." Fun tapping riffs call to each other back and forth until we hear a descending noodle as a bridge to a few rambunctious twinkle attacks and an ending that only leaves you longing for more.
Track 2 "Astrology" is the music of the video we shared a few months ago, the one with Marcos playing guitar with white painted nails. Borrowing some vibes from it's predecessor with the opening riff, "Astrology" doesn't forget it's roots. This song is an absolute instant hit with me. The beautiful six note lead is one that's so simple yet works as the starting hook to an intricate poly-rhythmic masterpiece. Using a simple riff that anyone can play as a building block to create something bigger and more complex is something more bands should incorporate into their sound. Looking to masters like Japan's toe, we can all learn a thing or two about constructing such thought provoking songs as this.
When track 3 "Shmoonie" starts out I wonder if The Bulletproof Tiger has returned with warmer tones and more thought for strumming chords. I remember my love for repetitious tapping riffs at breakneck speeds and towards the end comes a chord progression simliar to a riff in an invalids song called "Diastole" only if it were altered into a butterfly tapping riff. This is a very simple chord progression and the main part of what makes Standards work so well, they start simple and build intricacies upon a solid base. Where some math rock bands can lose us in complexity, shredding wildly without a solid foundation, Standards builds upon stable plans and guides us smoothly along the journey without ever letting go.
Click here for our review of track 4 "Kynwyn's Birthday"
Click here to buy Standards shirts!
Click here to buy TMRT shirt!
