If
Thursday somehow had a younger brother who was also related to the bands on Drive-Thru Records, out would pop
A Static Lullaby. This five-piece band seemingly rides on the coattails of the emo-hardcore acts like the aforementioned band with the day of the week moniker. However, the vocal work is much stronger than the average hardcore band and more melodious than the run-of-the-mill emo act. Going back and forth between anguished screams and wonderful harmonies showcases this act at their best. For, while the music is by no means horrible, it's nothing revolutionary, and the vocals are forced to carry the weight of the project. Fortunately, they do a more than adequate job, causing the occasional musical highlights such as the guitar work on "A Sip of Wine Chased With Cyanide" to meet with ready approval. Occasionally the vocal intonation seems ultra-dramatic: whether it be overly sincere or overly tragic. Nevertheless, the majority of this project is surprisingly quality work. The hope, however, is that the band can mature and create something entirely their own for their next album. As for this ten-song release, while it's one of those albums that requires time to grow on the listener, for fans of emocore, it should be a worthwhile wait. ~ Kurt Morris