Reviews

Finally, a new band from Maryland I can get behind! See, I was raised, for most of my life, in Northeastern Maryland, and there is a significant lack of quality music outside of the Baltimore scene that occupied the late 90's and early 2000's. But, The Dangerous Summer have given me some hope. Their Hopeless Records debut EP, If You Could Only Keep Me Alive, consists of seven tracks and enough emotional, pop-rock-punk honesty to suck most people in...they succeeded with me, anyway.

There are a few excellent components to point out in regards to this album, the first being the clear and simple production courtesy of Paul Leavitt (Dashboard Confessional, All Time Low, etc.). Right from the get go, Leavitt keeps the operation barebones, often stripping the guys down to their basic elements; there's no deluge of over distorted guitars or an insane amount of layered vocals. Oftentimes, the band keeps the vibe simple and Leavitt helps bring that across wonderfully, especially in the guitar tones. I'll even go out on a limb and say that I think The Dangerous Summer may have the best electric tones I've heard on a record this year; they never suffer from too much gain or any type of over production. There are a few flourishes - like the gang vocals at the end of track four, "Wake Up" - but they are so tasteful and actually help to illuminate a new facet of the song. Leavitt really helps the band showcase their tunes and that is exactly what the producer should work towards when recording a debut record.

Now that we're through with the production praise, I have to say that the boys themselves have really hit the nail on the head. Aside from the fantastic guitar sound, they also have an impressive amount of songwriting talent, which is evident in the simple fact that just about no portion of any song overstays its welcome, despite all of the tracks running over the three-and-a-half minute mark. I'm going to attribute this to lead singer AJ Perdomo. Perdomo's voice was the first thing that grabbed my attention when I popped this disc in, and three weeks later, he still captivates my ears. There is no whininess in his voice, there's no high-pitched delivery, there's no screaming, just a passionate effort with a nice gruffness around the edges which helps lend weight to every word that escapes his mouth. I've railed on about lead singers before and I believe it is the performance of the singer that can not only save a mediocre record from the used CD bins, but can also elevate average lyrical content simply through a convincing and emotional delivery. Such is the case with Perdomo. Even if you don't care for the band's sound, I would really find it hard for someone to pin the dislike on Perdomo.

Ultimately, The Dangerous Summer have definitely got something. Falling somewhere between Something Corporate and more recent New Found Glory with an excellent addiction to U2-esque, delayed guitars, this is a band that's gonna go places in the near future. I have a cross-country drive coming up when I move from Chicago back to Maryland and I honestly can't wait to pop this disc in while I'm on the road. And that's the best way I can describe this release; there's a positive, forward movement to it that makes things seem a bit brighter, a little closer, and within reach, and there is certainly plenty within reach for The Dangerous Summer.