The EP entitled “Island” by Philadelphia locals, A Day Without Love, is a very interesting piece of indie rock. The music, influenced by Anthony Green and Kevin Devine, ranges from soft and heartfelt to fast and driving. The vocals echo in some ambient parts filled with some electronic feedback in the background, while sounding straightforward and grungy in others. Some parts also have yelling gang vocals which adds character. The singer, Brian, has a competent voice, and very good delivery. Brian says, “This album isn’t just a series of songs for people to have fun listening to… It’s a story, a story of learning to love yourself and coping with feeling lonely.” The lyrics are genuine and focus on the feelings of loneliness while trying to stay hopeful. There are some very interesting guitar solos on this EP, played by Julian, that sound like what can only be described as indie punk. Sometimes the guitar will feel soothing and far away, while going right into a driving verse, like on the track “Island.” The bass, played by Jake, only helps the driving sound of the guitar, while giving the listener a line to bob their head to. The drums, played by Andrew, sound epic and huge at times, while quiet and with a signature indie style sound at others. All of the other effects used on this album are used artfully, and serve as something that makes this band’s sound unique. Overall, it is a solid debut EP, and with time this band will fully develop their unique indie rock sound. The standout tracks for me on this EP are “Freeze” and “It’s Been A Long Time.” You can stream the album below, and find it on bandcamp to order a vinyl or download it for free.
PhillyPunk 