Phoenix's Greeley Estates have been turning heads as of late. Consisting of vocalist Ryan Zimmerman, guitarists Brandon Hackenson and Dallas Smith, bassist Josh Applebach, and drummer Brian Champ, the band has gathered quite a following over the last few years thanks to their relentless touring and self-promotion. Far from the Lies is the result of all their hard work and experiences and should gain them even more fans and a bigger following.
The thing about Greeley Estates is that they are in no way original. Straight from the beginning I feel like I've heard this before, but I just can't label it off and have an urge to listen to it over and over again. And I'm not the only one facing this dilemma. Somehow this band managed to craft a style that isn't out of the normal, but is still down right listenable and catchy.
Far from the Lies is pretty much a textbook screamo album that manages to be more than what it really is. "The End of All We Know" is pretty much what you'd come to expect from these guys, filled with screaming and sing-alongs, the song manages to be aggressive while still laying down a melodic and sensitive side. "Nothing Good Happens After Dark" lures the listener in with an interesting acoustic opening guitar line before hammering you away with some guitar work before Zimmerman shouts over some rather bare music work.
The true highlight of Far from the Lies is the slower songs. "Life Is a Garden" is easily one of the standout tracks, with a rather catchy chorus and some strong lyrics. "Secret" is easily the best song with the strongest showing of singing by Zimmerman and is aided by Sunny Davis and Jordan Tappis bringing in some strings and keys. The rest of the album goes back and forth between the heavier screamo side and the softer emo side. While it isn't anything too different, the singing easily brings the album up a notch.
Greeley Estates aren't anything different and they won't blow you away with creativity or originality. But for some reason they just don't go away. Far from the Lies manages to be an enjoyable and memorable listen, when it shouldn't be more than a once and done listen. These guys from Phoenix have found a way to trick their fans into buying into this music, and at least they now have enough chops to be considered worthy of their accomplishments.