Now And On Earth
Blacked Out
(Epitaph Records)
Debut records give bands the chance to pour everything they’ve been working towards into one record, or to simply play it safe. While the first full-length release from Canadian rockers Now And On Earth is an early 2000s alt-rock vibe with roaring metal riffs, unclean vocals and the occasional guitar solo, Blacked Out overall simply leaves the listener wanting more and wishing the band had played it safe just a little less.
The major problem with Now And On Earth is that they just don’t stand out. They’re a band rooted in comparisons to other groups. They uphold an air of heavier Jimmy Eat World meets Red Jumpsuit Apparatus with a hint of old school Asking Alexandria who occasionally throw in a guitar solo (“Majesty”) or blaring drum fill (“All Direction”).
Blacked Out does have its moments, however, and will throw you a curveball that’s unexpected but not entirely convincing. Tracks like “Overtime” rely heavily on electronics and warble-y distortions to create a strange ’70s era sci-fi vibe in what sounds like a poor attempt to imitate EDM. I half expected Will Smith to jump into action mid-song. Other tracks go in the complete opposite direction in which a solid track is rendered, but nothing really jumps out. Incorporating what sounds like a string section in the background, “All On You” is by far the most structured and instrumentally emphatic piece on Blacked Out rounding out everything from the cymbals to layered guitar riffs and even well-placed repeated lyrics (“This is all on you/This is all on you”).
What’s interesting about this record is that the sonic similarities of just straight up alt rock that consistently appear in tracks like “Intoxicated” and “No Way Out” make the album’s interlude stand out significantly more, enough so that it is easily one of the best tracks on the record. Incorporating piano keys with electronic beats, the interlude turns what could be a real lull in Blacked Out into an opus and even simulates the sounds of an orchestra through its electronica, both a risky and rewarding move.
Unfortunately, this solid effort and effectual use of simulated sounds doesn’t hold as strong for anchor tracks like “Your Number Is Up” in which the actual instrumentation is drowned out in favor of a machine produced melody and immediately results in the need of a back track for live performances.
That being said, in the few instances where Now And On Earth really try to branch out they showed great success amidst their failures, thus displaying immense potential if they can go into their sophomore release with a solid editorial eye and discretion towards structure. (Natasha Van Duser)
