Thursday Full Collapse

This is quite an interesting album. The music has sort of a hardcore meets British pop sound to it. Those of you expecting aggressive hardcore will be surely be let down. However, don't let the lack of aggression deter you from picking this one up. Thursday does their own thing and it works well here. Swirling guitars and a varied sonic landscape serve as the ideal backdrop for the moody vocals of singer Geoff Rickly. His intonation isn't flawless, but it's got character, and it's equally endearing. His occasional screaming also serves nicely as a counterpoint to the typically mellow offerings of Thursday. Their roller coaster songs are catchy but not fluffy and the music has a very nice balance to it. It's almost as if half the band wants to mellow out while the other half wants to break out. The guitars can be edgy and biting, but never to the point of boredom inducing repetition. Factor in some subtle but solid bass playing, and some equally competent drum work, and Thursday really appears to have their act together. Highlights include "A0001", "Understanding", and "Cross Out The Eyes". Bottom Line: We tried to find some holes in this release, and we found a few, but they were far and few between. When all's said and done, Full Collapse comes across as a very mature and well-executed effort.