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The Receiving End Of Sirens

Between The Heart And The Synapse (2005)
Triple Crown Records

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Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on May 6th 2005

At the same time, the Receiving End Of Sirens are easy to pin down and difficult to interpret. The Boston-based band's debut full-length, Between The Heart And The Synapse, contains a generally rock-infused post-hardcore sound that draws heavily from Artist In The Ambulance-era Thrice in their melodies, harmonies, choruses, and building methods. While that description probably makes them out to be some sort of copycat throwaway, what prevents the band from ever being easily labeled as such is that their take on the sound is plenty more developed and dynamic than most others that attempt it. At 13 tracks spanning over an hour, it's a tad overambitious for a debut, but for the most part, TREOS manage to keep your attention intact for the disc's duration.

It's nice to see an outfit actually properly utilizing a three-guitar attack, as TREOS delicately maneuver a constant, vaguely atmospheric backdrop to their strong melodies and three-part harmonies, which they craft with the ease of veteran bands around twice as long. Scattered amongst the record are bits of electronic ambience as well, which, while occasionally noodly, helps flow quite well; "The Rival Cycle" makes good use of these bits following a chug-chug, singing/growling/yelling mid-track "breakdown." Each track on ...Synapse has so many things going on, that live, it'd probably be fairly hard to replicate, but at least we're given an inherently creative studio effort here, as piano, programmed drums, and vocal overlay/manipulation is effectively implemented. "Broadcast Quality" even has a harmonizing, near-choral vocal arrangement softly closing it out.

The always lingering fine line between catchy and just horrendously repetitive is straddled here as well, but fortunately, the band usually leans towards the former. Their choruses usually contain an appropriately bold feel to them, as the general mood of the record that surrounds them is grandiose and rather epic, as in "The War Of All Against All." The transitions to the chorus here are a bit jumpy, but it's very declarative nonetheless, as you'll likely find yourself singing along to the couplet "We are the corps of corpses; we are up in arms and armed / So bring all the king's horses and all the king's men." Their methodical building is shown here, too, as the song ends taking advantage of several softly sung background voices, squealing guitar octaves and a slowly-paced percussion finish, and it eases finely into "...Then I Defy You, Stars" as a result.

Lyrically, TREOS is well-versed in occasionally ambiguous narrations and resultingly wholly refreshing. Instead of force-feeding the listener diary passages, they rely on clever wordplay and short portions of alliteration, usually simulatenously (["They sing the requiem to a closed casket burial / Your conspiracy: conspiring to deliver me to the authorities" - "Verona"], ["Like a felon, he fell into scandals, scams and master plans / to circumvent all circumstances" - "Planning A Prison Break"]).

The Receiving End Of Sirens' first full-length is mildly enjoyable and an impressive debut just the same, as it showcases a ton of potential and likewise developing talent. It only seems likely that the next record should see the band hitting their stride, both on record and on the popularity radar, as Between The Heart And The Synapse is a solid mix of accessibility and fairly experimental moments.

STREAM [E-CARD]
Planning A Prison Break
The Rival Cycle
Broadcast Quality

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Anonymous (June 8, 2006)

Someone mentioned that screamo/emo/post hardcore genre is dead.
That really pisses me off. WHat kind of world is it when a genre "dies" in just a few years. THat bitch musta been a real corporate whore to have said something like that. What a shitty fast paced society. Music isn't about what's popular at the time. Look how long bands like Rush and Metallica have been around and they can still rok out and have huge fan bases. Music is about what you like and what the song means to you. Not whats cool. Dont hate man, just because your too mch of a dumbass to realize that these guys have incredible talent. By the way..i love the bonus track which includes all the choruses throughout the album like "Oh how ive been teething in spite of your misleading youve caused this collapse between the herart and the synapse."

Anonymous (February 28, 2006)

gosh... whatta myspace whore
v

Anonymous (February 28, 2006)

woot woot

I LOVE MYSPACE!

www.myspace.com/maireisforlovers

ADD ME!

Anonymous (February 28, 2006)

Fuck you for not liking them... your just jealous that your not going anywhere in life. You just sit at your computer refreshing the MySpace couple of seconds hoping for a new comment or message or whatnot. Believe me... there is life outside of the "scene". jerks.

Anonymous (February 13, 2006)

Awesome album. TREOS is my new favorite band. Their music is incredible and unique and the band is amazing together.

Anonymous (December 21, 2005)

I've sen them in every type o venue they played at and they do pull it off. btw the band name comes from the fact that boston area is overrun by ambulances and SIRENS yet no one who can hear them actually cares what may have happened. This band rocks. They rocked as a local band plying at the american legion and they will still rock playing tsongas!

Anonymous (December 19, 2005)

One of the guitarists plays piano on for their album, it says it in their cd case. Before doing a review, actually reveiw it. It will not be hard for them to pull it off live, they do a good job. The band has three singers and they can live up to their recording.

Anonymous (December 12, 2005)

I love this band

Anonymous (October 7, 2005)

this band fucking rules. awsome lyrics and music. my english teacher even liked them. shakespear n stuff. best band ever

whatchokesbegin (September 10, 2005)

This album is really good. It really is.

InnuendoAndOutTheOther (July 25, 2005)

this album blew me away...and I got it for a buck...this doesn't sound like Thrice or Brand New...but it has a few parts reminiscent of both bands...hearing something fresh from this genre makes me smile...I can't believe I could have seen this band live and showed up late...I'll see em at Warped tho

and Thrice is a highly talented band to whoever insinuated otherwise

and Brand New's latest was certainly good...especially for fans of Morrissey, The Smiths or Bright Eyes

Anonymous (May 31, 2005)

TREOS = Best new album i own. People bitch about them being over ambitious for a 1st album, but i know they deserve to be. I've seen the TREOS about 20 times live in the Boston area and even a few times in RI, and i have to say, they put on one kick ass show, i dotn know how, btu they hit every note and play extremely tight. Can't stop listening, and to a trained ear this is the most kickass up-and-coming band out there, I SOMETIMES LISTEN TO THE RECEIVING END OF SIRENS... and im damn proud of it.

Anonymous (May 17, 2005)

The posts on here are just comical, have u listened to the album? ever?
oh and by the way, you ask me 3 years ago who will be the next big thing and i could have told you watch TREOS, if u want brand new listen to brand new, if u want thrice listen to thrice, neither band has the sheer musical talent this band has. oh and if u dont want to listen to this "epic big song" then lets rag on green day - american idiot, as far as im concerned TREOS took the rock opera and actually made it work.

Anonymous (May 17, 2005)

You can listen to this album and tell me its IMPOSSIBLE to ever recreate live, but see them once and you will know why this is not so. This band may by synthed out or whatever you want to say, but just so you know their live show hits everynote and more, and usually as they warm up you can be treated to a quick improv jazz session thanks to brendan and nate. complexity is not at all anything this band needs to worry about live

Anonymous (May 9, 2005)

wheres the review for the new thrice record?

Anonymous (May 7, 2005)

TREOS is good...very good...but I do miss Brand New man those guys fuckin rock.Last i heard they were going to write a new album, play in Bamboozle and that Jesse was recovering from a serious operation...i hope that doesnt end their career seriously that would Suck.

Anonymous (May 7, 2005)

Thrice The sound of Animals Fighitng Brand News more memorable lyrical moments (rather then their trite pathetic ones) = A really bland band that sounds too much like their peers,, but does manage to make a few good songs here and there.

This stuff is way too drawn out and trys too hard to be epic sometimes, but that part in "broadcast quality" where he is screaming "her fingers, like spiders..." is cool. This will probably be one of my guilty pleasures right alongside Thrice.

-!GreenVandal!

Anonymous (May 7, 2005)

what the fuck does 'the receiving end of sirens' mean

Anonymous (May 7, 2005)

This album has a few solid tracks, which is mainly the first four or 5 songs on the record, but besides that it gets kindof boring.

Reply: I like the band name.

Reply: The album name is taken from some of their lyrics in one of the songs late in the album.

Good debut. Might take a few listens to get into.

Anonymous (May 6, 2005)

Stupid band name, stupid album name, stupid ____.

OverDefined (May 6, 2005)

I don't usually get into this style but this band is so talented. I really dig it, except when they go into a breakdown, that kind of bums me out. They're the new Beloved without the tough guy screaming.

johnrambo (May 6, 2005)

TREOS / Mastadon Split 7" coming out soon on Polyvinyl. Look out for it.

Anonymous (May 6, 2005)

The one thing you cant deny is how fucking tight this band is live. The only problem with this album is that its almost like its one song. Everything just mixing into an endless track and its gets boring fast. The samples are awsome at times, but when you cant tell what song your on it gets way to over done.

Anonymous (May 6, 2005)

their name abbreviated almost looks like OREOS

i'd rather eat oreos than listen to 10th generation screamo, post hardcore, whatever. this genere's dead

and if the album's over an hour fuck that shit. ego's the size of omar.

paul

Anonymous (May 6, 2005)

man. i miss brand new.

Marlon (May 6, 2005)

i just acn't see the thrice in them. thrice is aggressive, harsh and these guys have a shitty vocalist. i can't get into this band. but they'll blow up cause i guess aboslute punk decided they're the next big thing. epic emo is not the way to go, man.

They're Tripple Crown's new Brand New.

vocalyouth (May 6, 2005)

I am so tired of long, ridiculous band names.

colin (May 6, 2005)

mattp330 (May 6, 2005)

great album. things are only going to get better for this band. I'm not sure if I see so much Thrice in there, but they are a bunch of talented musicians