Matt's Track of the Week: Crime in Stereo's "Not Dead"

Song: Not Dead

Artist: Crime in Stereo

Album: I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone

Rating: 8.0

In the infancy of Animal Noises, this probably would have been bigger news, but alas. Crime in Stereo has just released their newest full length, I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone, and with it, the single, "Not Dead". These Long Island natives were once known for their unique brand of politically educated, high energy, old school hardcore punk. In their last two efforts, however, they have taken more experimental approaches to the old formula, risking their street-cred in the process, and have received surprisingly still positive reviews. The one issue I have with many (not all) hardcore 'innovators' (I think 2006s The Troubled Stateside was a complete breath of fresh air and a stroke of genius), is that although these bands may be 'pushing the envelope' to some, it's all within the confines of the genre, and not much to listen to for anyone with a wider musical scope. It would be too complicated to get into the scene politics that legitimize this type of thing, but Crime in Stereo, it seems, is more concerned with expressing themselves as musicians instead of just another hardcore band, and for that, we can be glad.

It's hard to get around it. "Not Dead" sounds like everything that Brand New's Daisy could have been, had the album been written using what we like to call 'the right way'. That being said, I would never compare the bands on any other plane. The two are both completely separate and unique entities, and there's nothing worse than not being accepted on your own merits when you've more than earned them. "Not Dead" also builds on the band's already established sense for creating melody within the natural intensity of their style, polishing their craft, even since the giant leaps made on their last genre-defying effort, Is Dead. This song's passionate urgency is its biggest strength. Check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/23): Now Streaming]