Shannon Wright's latest not in the best of hands
Tom Korp
Issue date: 11/2/04 Section: Arts & Society
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2003 Equal Vision Records
Score: 3 out of 5
Post-hardcore is a rather hard genre to get into. Distorted guitars, raucous percussion, thick bass lines and near-indecipherable vocals (some would call them "screams") make for what could best be considered an acquired taste. Sure, some bands have been able to achieve mainstream popularity by sedating their abrasive tendencies with melodic vocals (think Thursday, Recover or My Chemical Romance) and songs about messy breakups, but there's a whole lot lost in the translation from post-hardcore to "screamo."
For some quality post-hardcore rock, I direct you to Michigan's Bear vs. Shark and their debut full-length Right Now You're in the Best of Hands. And If Something Isn't Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know in a Hurry. While Right Now may have been released in July of 2003, I'm not about to let 15 months prevent me from recommending what is undoubtedly a quality band.
"This is a poem/A combination of a sentence broken up to form a rhythm/You are a poem/Little pieces of my senses broken up to form an image," croons bandleader Marc Paffi at the end of "Ma Jolie," the intense opener to Right Now. Paffi's gruff voice moves from sing-song whispers to full-force bellows, making the most of volume if not vocal range. While tracks like "We Were Sad But Now We're Rebuilding" and "Second" demonstrate Paffi's ability to fully exploit his rather limited voice, they also showcase the dynamic guitar and bass work of Derek Kiesgen, Mike Muldoon and John Gaviglio. The three switch instruments from time to time, sharing responsibilities as guitarists, bassists and keyboardists. You'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference; the transition is that smooth. Frantic drummer Ashley Horak rounds out the talented quintet of Bear vs Shark with his rapid-fire, spot-on percussion.
Despite a cancelled European tour, Paffi and company are still hard at work on their anticipated second full-length, with an expected release in 2005. Keep your eyes open for news about Bear vs. Shark -- they're definitely a band to watch.