Kervin

I Think I See Evil
2004
self-released




Review by: FortyMinutesWest
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Published on November 23rd 2004

See that little “staff” icon? What exactly does it mean? Does it mean that I’m a better writer than other people, or that I’m a music expert of some sort? Not really, but it does mean that I have the opportunity to hear a ton of bands that I wouldn’t have ordinarily come across. Most of the stuff I review on here is sent to me in bulk, so I open these huge envelopes, usually with a nice Casualties or Drive Thru sticker and end up with a grab bag of stuff. However, the band sent this to me, so I knew what I was getting. Still, I wasn’t familiar with Kervin’s music.

This band has a pretty wide-ranging set of influences, and this is reflected in their music. While the vocals have a sort of rapid-fire quality to them, the music seems to be influenced by the Dischord roster. This isn’t really surprising, seeing as the band names two of their main influences as Fugazi and Rage Against The Machine. However, they actually do channel those sounds on this disc, and they actually do it well. The intricate guitar work, supplied by Apurva Mehrotra is the backbone of the songs, as it never seems to let up, constantly cutting through these songs. Apurva’s brother, Anupum handles the vocal duties, and his hip-hop tinged delivery compliments the music very well. The bass playing and the drumming are also well done, as everyone in this band is proficient with their instrument of choice. The only complaint I really have is that some of the songs tend to blend together at times, but other than that, it’s a solid record.

The lyrics - as you would expect, based on the band’s influences - often deal with politics. The words are well written, and manage to come off as somewhat poetic, while not sounding pretentious. Anupum speaks the words with conviction and fire, as in the song “Citizen of the Month:”

A rabid nation of gallant rogues and dopes
A derelict did the trick with the shit that he wrote
You’re a leader with cheap stunts, citizen of the month
While delirious us will bear all of the brunt

All in all, this is a strong release that if nothing else, at least makes for an interesting listen. It’s always nice to find out about new bands, no matter how it happens, and I’m glad I ended up with this.