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Giving Chase

A Cheap Print of a Masterpiece (2007)
Jump Start Records

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

Published on July 3rd 2007

Sometimes great bands fly under the radar for so long that they eventually fizzle out and give up. The same old routine of playing tiny clubs for few people, traveling 10 hours to discover a show has been canceled, or just the difficulty in releasing a new record can be troubling. Giving Chase have been treading this tightrope for a few years, but you wouldn't be able to tell any wear and tear to their spirits based on their new full-length, A Cheap Print of a Masterpiece.

Based out of Philadelphia, PA, a town rich in the fine art of melodic hardcore, Giving Chase add a fresh and energetic aspect to the genre. Trading off among smooth ballads and gruff shout-alongs, call-and-answers and some screaming, everything mixes impressively in a high pace and even high display of overall energy and passion. Tracks like "The Grand Escape" provide the mid-tempo to blazing tempo changes, complete with some anthemic choruses, whereas "I Am the Ostrich" starts rather bouncy with smoothly soft vocals, only to explode into a fist-pumping, scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-along blend of aggression and melody.

A Cheap Print truly hits its mark with the songs "Wrecked Angle" and "While Nero Played." Both display the band at their most potent and focused moments of the record, finely blending the fine line between symphonic and assailing, a task that at many times the band comes to close to perfecting, yet finally hit the nail on head here.

For anyone that loves hardcore, especially the more sonorous side of it, Giving Chase are the perfect example of how to make a mark in a genre that can at so many times seem "overdone" or "played out." With few flaws, A Cheap Print of a Masterpiece is an album more people need to hear. If anything, it serves as a great starting place for a band with limitless potential if they keep their sound focused on their obvious strengths.

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housewrecker (July 5, 2007)

Is "gatting" an account how you do it in da hood?

Anonymous (July 5, 2007)

Mike...gat an account you bum.

Anonymous (July 5, 2007)

Is it bad that I can read the name of a band, and automatically know if they're hardcore or not.

Anonymous (July 4, 2007)

you know, I've never posted on our own stuff. And if it weren't for the link to the band Dukes on your user profile I probably wouldn't. Now I don't know whether you play in the band, or just talk shit on their behalf....but I thought it was a pleasure playing with them in Tampa @ Transitions Art Gallery on our last tour. If you're not into our music, that's totally cool. And it doesn't even bother me that you obviously don't know the first thing about us or our band...people are bound to make assumptions...

But if you think leaving smart ass comments like this is how you help to support your fellow independent musicians, then underground music is in a much sadder state than I thought.

Learn a little something about community and get back to us....we'll be busy getting awesome.

-Mike/GivingChase

and......

no one cares.

Anonymous (July 4, 2007)

was this sent in by a band member? this band is not good
they sound like blink 182 fans that JUST found out about hardcore
total weak sauce

you know, I've never posted on our own stuff. And if it weren't for the link to the band Dukes on your user profile I probably wouldn't. Now I don't know whether you play in the band, or just talk shit on their behalf....but I thought it was a pleasure playing with them in Tampa @ Transitions Art Gallery on our last tour. If you're not into our music, that's totally cool. And it doesn't even bother me that you obviously don't know the first thing about us or our band...people are bound to make assumptions...

But if you think leaving smart ass comments like this is how you help to support your fellow independent musicians, then underground music is in a much sadder state than I thought.

Learn a little something about community and get back to us....we'll be busy getting awesome.

-Mike/GivingChase

thehandswillabide (July 4, 2007)

was this sent in by a band member? this band is not good

they sound like blink 182 fans that JUST found out about hardcore

total weak sauce

Kursk (July 4, 2007)

I've been listening to this for over a year since Jeremy gave me a copy the first time I met the band and listened to it quite extensively. I can't find a single thing to complain about with this album, it's Giving Chase thru and thru only improved upon tenfold since Nothing Ever Changes. Pretty spot on review too. Great guys, great album.

Anonymous (July 3, 2007)

this band is GREAT live, i saw them a few weeks ago in crossville, their bass player is incredible

seanathon (July 3, 2007)

Sweet mastering by Alan Douches

Anonymous (July 3, 2007)

this is a great record

Anonymous (July 3, 2007)

"shitty live band"

Your mom is a shitty live band.

Anonymous (July 3, 2007)

One of the best live bands Ive ever seen.

Anonymous (July 3, 2007)

Saw them in NJ, blew me away.