Of Mice & Men - Of Mice & Men

Of Mice & Men
Of Mice & Men
Rise Records
C+





These days, Rise Records and post-hardcore bands still go hand and hand much like spaghetti and meatballs. Now I may be a vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a bit of the breakdown littered fare of Of Mice & Men while eating noodles and marinara. Sure, we very well may see something completely different from this band if and when they decide to write another record after having almost the most member swaps this year (that award sadly goes to Dance Gavin Dance, sorry boys). But this self-titled, debut effort from (then) vocalist Austin Carlile and company is a guilty pleasure of breakdowns and somewhat memorable melodies that will more than satisfy your urge for post-hardcore.

Carlile wastes no time proving his worth as a vocalist, as “YDG” opens with a segue from a barrage of drums and guitars into Austin’s meaty screams. He might not stand out by much in this scene, but he is more than ample in his craft. Weaving this throughout the album with an occasional clean vocal line from guitarist/vocalist Shayley Bourget makes for a more palatable experience despite most of the shifts from scream to clean (or vice versa) are seen coming a mile away.

Musically, this band really isn’t doing anything to charter new territory. This is primarily a breakdown band, and you’ll hear it regardless of what track you listen to. However, you can’t deny that they are able to do it well enough and without much of a problem as they shift from breakdown to breakdown (and sometimes to another breakdown). Tracks like “Those In Glass Houses” and “They Don’t Call It The South For Nothing” showcase the ability for the band to somehow keep your interest even if they are over-recycling parts within songs. Toss in the occasional angular guitar lick, and it makes for enough to get by, even if it isn’t blowing your mind.

For what it's worth, even the fact this album doesn't jump right out at you won't stop it from being addicting. Carlile's punching vocals shine in spots where there isn't a whole lot going on musically, as many times the songwriting relies on him to keep the proceedings going. It also says something about simplicity in that the better breakdowns on this album (near the end of "They Don't Call It The South For Nothing" for example) are not overly rhythmic or complex, but just get the job done instead of trying to be fancy. These guys know what they are going for, and whether you want to admit it or not, it is just what people want to hear.

Of Mice & Men might just be another band in an oversaturated genre, but at the very least you can’t say they are doing something terrible to outright say they make terrible music. This is a band that proves ‘just well enough’ is something that is very provable when it comes to making music, and with the changes in band personnel we could very much see something totally different next time around. It could be worse though. They could be Attack Attack!