La Dispute

La Dispute: Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and AltairSomewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair (2008)
No Sleep Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: dktrdktr
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on November 14th 2008I haven't done this for a while: listen to a compilation and actually like a band on it. I either already know the band and the label (Fat Wreck, Hellcat, etc.), or the music is so generic it's hard to know A from B (see: the Punx United compilation). So after downloading the recent Revolution Recor.

I haven't done this for a while: listen to a compilation and actually like a band on it. I either already know the band and the label (Fat Wreck, Hellcat, etc.), or the music is so generic it's hard to know A from B (see: the Punx United compilation). So after downloading the recent Revolution Records online freebie, and skipping through the whinier parts, my ears came to rest on La Dispute.

You had my hand in your hand; my lips in your teeth; you had my heart on your sleeve...

It's that part: "You had my heart on your sleeve." I don't really care what this song is supposed to be about; in many ways, it's immaterial what the writer intended; it only matters how it is interpreted. The song could be about a girl, but it could just as easily be about music; for what else is the music that you listen to apart from your heart on their sleeve?

There's an intensity on their album, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair that can match Sick of it All, or the first Against Me! album. It drags you in; it involves; it makes you want to shout/scream along. The vocal performance, the poetic verbal diarrhea on display Jordan Dreyer feels like a stream of intense, desperate consciousness.

He's backed by a band that complement everything, bursting forth and shutting up with massive riffs, the occasional picked guitar and the tease of horns. The music is much like Guns N' Roses being played by a hardcore band with the Darkest Hour lyricist on the verge of crumbling.

The words follow the concept of love and the loss of it, and all its trials. They can be read as a 'human relationship' album á la a 'post'-hardcore Dear You (Jawbreaker), but there are parts of the lyrics that would suggest more -- that would suggest it's also about the struggle with life, society, music, heroes and villains.

This is a deep album, a strong album and a sound I would normally fob off but I just can't. The lyrics offer much depth and just enough ambiguity not just to be about boys and girls (or boys and boys or girls and girls) and the music puts in a perfect frame.

This is not about haircuts, nor how tight your jeans our. This album has the power to reach beyond fashion, beyond petty elitism and bad writing. It's one of the few times that I don't care how experimental or intelligent this band is, because they're just so good at what they do, it's just lucky that they are.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

peheme (July 29, 2011)

Not the best of that The Wave developped, but definetly awesome.

gugl0003 (April 20, 2011)

This is some of the most forward thinking shit i've ever heard.

sundowning10 (September 13, 2010)

one of my favorites of all time

literamaniac (August 17, 2010)

Album is solid, but the GNR/Darkest Hour name-drops both seemed extraneous and made me think this band sounded...really bad

hiimarlon (April 3, 2010)

i really enjoy this, i don't understand why a lot of people don't like it.

tomas2012 (January 31, 2010)

these cats go pretty crazy live.

thesidekicksuicide (August 26, 2009)

definitely better than Vancouver, IMO

did you have to say "verbal diarrhea"?

brown (November 18, 2008)

This really is a beautiful, sprawling album.

jammy (November 17, 2008)

One typo correction: "Revolution Records" should be "Revelation Records"

One info correction "Revolution Records online freebie" should be "RevHQ online freebie"

http://revhq.com/store.revhq?Page=info&Section=sample r

inagreendase (November 17, 2008)

It's good, but I'm not sure about all the praise-y reviews it's getting.

griffigr (November 16, 2008)

Fuck this no talent band and their melodramatic vocalist. If you're ever in the Grand Rapids/Muskegon area and in need of a good laugh, make sure you catch these assholes at one of the many dive bars they frequent. By the way the singer dude moves around on stage, you'd swear to Christ he was suffering from M.S.

xote (November 16, 2008)

This band rules. Singer reminds of the dude from mewithoutYou. I dig.

mpc (November 16, 2008)

I like everything but the vocals, just can't get into them. These guys definitely show a lot of promise though.

stevejonestherealbones (November 15, 2008)

This first paragraph of the review hold EXACTLY my thoughts. I feel the same way about comps, and downloaded the same comp and while at work listening to it, i immediately took note of this band to track down more of...havent gotten the album yet but i will soon do so

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

"I haven't done this for a while: listen to a compilation and actually like a band on it. I either already know the band and the label (Fat Wreck, Hellcat, etc.), or the music is so generic it's hard to know A from B (see: the Punx United compilation). So after downloading the recent Revolution Records online freebie, and skipping through the whinier parts, my ears came to rest on La Dispute."

ReinventingPeteRose (November 15, 2008)

Whoops, meant to give it 4 stars.

ReinventingPeteRose (November 15, 2008)

This is a very good album. The At the Drive-In and Saetia comparisons are fitting. Good review, too. Coincidentally, I was listening to "Accident Prone" while reading this.

chips (November 15, 2008)

I just got this album today. At first I was somewhat disappointed they went for a more "post rock"-ey sound, but this album is written so well, and is quickly growing on me. Im not sure if it's better then vancouver, but give me a few more listens and that might change.

rakehand (November 14, 2008)

revolution or revelation?

kvzuky (November 14, 2008)

This album is really, really good. Maybe even better than Vancouver and that album fucking ruled.

blip (November 14, 2008)

punx united was a good comp. wednesday night heroes ftw