Guilty Pleasure: The Spill Canvas

I'll be honest, The Spill Canvas only works for me in specific doses when I don't dwell on its rampant emo-ness. Believe you me, for every good TSC song I've posted here that you may like, there is another you'd probably laugh at. This inconsistency frustrates me because the glimpses of hook-filled velcro-y tunes are impressive. Maybe I just need to be in high school again to appreciate heart-rending end-of-the-world-type breakups. That aside, the bright spots are intoxicating, especially on this new record. No Really, I'm Fine is the Spill Canvas' major-label debut, soaked in drama, emotive vocals, and the tailor-made kind of power pop that's "big" right now. The hooks and a few creative moments (the horns in Low Fidelity's chorus, the slidy lead guitar on Battles, among others) are its saving grace. They sound like Say Anything's B-team, which isn't necessarily an insult.

"I know all your favorite spots and tonight we will connect the dots."

That's hot boys.

Listen:
Low Fidelity
Battles
[from No Really, I'm Fine|buy]