Review: The Things They Carried – “Jamais Vu” EP

BAND: THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

ALBUM: JAMAIS VU EP

RELEASE DATE: JULY 16TH, 2013

LABEL: UNSIGNED

RATING: 7/10

The Things They Carried recently released their new EP “Jamais Vu.” This band was actually a new discovery for me and I definitely wanted to write a review after giving their new EP a listen. If you haven’t heard of the band before, they are a four piece Rock / Progressive band out of Long Island, NY. Jamais Vu showcases what TTTC can bring to the table, ranging from chaotic guitar work and harsh vocals to melodic choruses. This EP will have you captivated most of the way through.

The EP consist of six tracks and begins with “Nightingale.” I consider this the showcase song, TTTC put everything they had to offer in this track. One thing I couldn’t help but to notice while listening to Nightingale and the whole EP after, was the thought of an older Chiodos instrumental wise. I did some research on the band and they have recorded with Casey Bates (Chiodos, Pierce The Veil, Fall Of Troy). This explained the style definitely. It stays pretty upbeat throughout Nightingale and you can clearly tell the band has talent by picking out the drumming, guitars, and vocals by Steve Schwartz.

While Nightingale doesn’t allow you to hear the more edgy side of the band, “Arpad” does. This song is by far the most intense on the EP. Showcasing a lot more screaming vocals which was nice to hear. The drums and guitar work get insanely fast and complex in this song as well. “Something Humans Crave” is one of my favorites from the EP. While it is one of the more softer songs on the EP, the structure of the entire song seems to be a bit more organized than the others on the EP. Check out 2:52 – 4:02, this is where the song shines in my opinion.

The EP ends with “Masks,” which isn’t on my list of things to listen to time and time again. This is the one song I could not get myself into on the EP. If I’m going to be honest I would have ended the EP with Arpad instead. If that would have been the case it would have been pretty solid!

The band announced an indefinite hiatus a few days ago after this new EP release which is unfortunate. They have a lot of potential and have a nice fan base for support. I hope they decide to keep on making music as TTTC at some point, I’d love to hear their progression on another EP release or album release in the future.

– Alex G.