The Backyard Movement is unusual in that they don't have a drummer, which I think works for their sound; stark and subdued. As cool as the stark, subdued sound can be (like spoon) it suffers quite a good deal when any one part of it isn't excellent. The Backyard Movement's guitar is inconsistent, using almost entirely chords which sporadically sounds like a lack of creativity to create anything more interesting than one riff repeated interminably until the end of a song. Other times, it can be a good hook, but it still gets boring when they play what sounds like the same five chords through a whole song. On a couple occasions I heard what sounded like changing riffs with some genuine guitar work (like in the intro of closing statements). The bass provides much needed texture to the music, but it doesn't get used often enough. This leaves us with so-so guitar work, and the vocals. The vocals sound a bit forced, as if he's singing with his "head voice" whereas singing with his "chest voice" could potentially give the vocals a more mellow sound which would compliment the guitar much more effectively. You can hear this mellow sound in the first verse of "On top of the world tonight" specifically in the lines "with each other near and dear", "doesn't happen often", and the first time he says "On top of the world tonight". Overall, mostly mediocre vocal work, static guitar, and a lack of the bass guitar create a somewhat weak effort with few high moments. Recommended - "On top of the world tonight".
5.25/10
http://thebackyardmovement.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-of-summer-ep
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