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40 minutes and 53 seconds of rock. That's about the easiest way to sum up this release. This Canadian quintet takes all that is stale and overdone in the "emo" genre and gives all of it a fresh, new spin. Every time I listen to this disc, I just hear so much potential contained in this band.

Tracks like "Section One" and "Hallyon Day" are great rockers, with great dual-voiced choruses and serrated guitar lines that mangle the melody and reconstruct it as they see fit. The band doesn't shy away from quieter moments, though. One listen to "Found In Your Possession" will make you a believer in the band's ability to tone things down but still rock it out. The band also brings to the table 3 different guitarists ala Bad Religion, allowing for some pretty original interplay between the left and right channels of your speakers. The instrumental "18.12.79" is a surefire example, with a solid 2 minute soothing chord-laden buildup to the powerful crescendo that you can see coming from a mile away, and yet you don't mind at all because you know it's going to kick ass. But the band is not all instruments. The lyrics hold up, too: "Instinctive motions pacify my thoughts / They free your mind of what corrupts" is one of my favorite lines from the album.

I would highly recommend Mico to fans of older Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World ["Static Prevails" era], or to anyone who ever wanted to hear the Weakerthans' faster material with more of a darker edge to it. This Alberta band is well on their way to making a name for themselves, and you'd be a fool not to know about them.

MP3s
Section One
Hallyon Day
Six Stages Of Illusion



People who liked this also liked:
Ryan's Hope - The Trials Of RecessionGatsbys American Dream - In the Land of Lost MonstersThrice - The Illusion of SafetyBoys Night Out - TrainwreckColossal - Welcome The ProblemsMock Orange - Mind Is Not BrainCougars - Nice, NiceTexas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?Bear Vs Shark - Right Now You're In The Best Of Hands. And If Something Isn't Quite Right...The Cardinal Sin - Oil And Water



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    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 6, 2003 at 9:57 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Dead Letter Dept., Closet Monster, Bombs Over Providence, Protest The Hero, Hostage Life, The Downbelows, The Getaway........all great Toronto area bands, give it up for the east coast!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 20, 2002 at 8:54 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    while we're on canadian bands nobody has mentioned yet the class assassins and cheerleader come to mind

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 11, 2002 at 1:43 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    don't forget propahandi!

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 10:28 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    hey everyone forgot about wpp, dbs, the smugglers, by a thread, complete, tim, andres last chance, there are tons of great bands fromthe vancouver area.

    I saw tim at the cobalt last night with some mulletcore band that really sucked. tim was awesome though.

    Posted by evildeadalive on 2002-03-17 23:12:33
    My Score:

    Yeah, BNU fucking rocked. I liked their cover of Minor Threat's 'It Follows' almost better than the original.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 3:50 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    brand new unit broke up.. :(((( their drummer is now playing with GOB

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 15, 2002 at 9:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    how about sparkmarker and brand new unit? are they still around anymore?

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-14 13:32:16
    My Score:

    hubble bubbles, floating on the surface hubble bubbles, floating on the surface hubble bubbles, floating on the surface hubble bubbles, floating on the surface

    haha i've seen slogan quite a few times.. they're actually pretty cool

    Posted by evildeadalive on 2002-03-14 12:53:28
    My Score:

    To each his/her own I guess. I thought they were really good. They weren't standing aroud for the whole set the few times I saw them, and I thought the drummer wasn't bad. As for being a Moneen rip-off, I don't know. I could never really get into them as much as some people. They're alright. You'll probabaly think I'm an idiot now, but I like St. Tibs Day better. I think they're pretty damn good for a buncha kids... just my opinion. (Don't go thinking it's an uneducated one either, I've been going to punk rock shows for ten years now, and have literally seen hundreds and hundreds of bands play, including Moneen... and Mico for that matter, since this is their review)

    My real name is Rod. I don't think I would know or have met you, but who knows. I was wearing a black Against All Authority hoodie at the NTA show if that helps.

    Have you guys seen/heard Slogan? If so what did you think? I went out with the bass player for three years. I've even seen her naked!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 14, 2002 at 4:53 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    i saw st tibs day to, they stood without moving for there entire set, then during the last song, in about the last 20 seconds, they started to jump into each other, then they threw there instruments on the ground pretending to be hardcore, it was one of the most pathetic things i have ever seen

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-13 18:32:16
    My Score:

    yo evildeadalive.. whats your real name?? i was at the New Town Animals show at the Brickyard... we probably have hung out and just not known it.. but i must disagree on the St. Tibs Day.. i think they are one of the worst vancouver bands i've seen... there drummer is HORRIBLE and every show i've seen them they do that totaly fake emotional ending where they all pretend to go hardcore.. but they cant.. just bad Moneen rip offs

    Posted by evildeadalive on 2002-03-13 16:25:50
    My Score:

    I'm from Chilliwack.... close enough. New Towm Animals fucking rock. I saw em for the 5th time a couple weeks ago with Wednesday Night Heroes and the Black Jacks. WNH fucking rocked, Edmonton oi!! Black Jacks kick a lotta ass too.(ex Thee Pirates) I love the Vancouver scene. My absolute favorite Van band is St. Tibs Day. They fucking kick ass live!! Slogan's good, Billy and The Lost Boys good good, Black Halos good. Tons more too.

    Posted by shindo on 2002-03-13 15:37:53
    My Score:

    No I'm from Niagara Falls (Ontario)... but I have the upmost respect for the Vancouver indie rock scene. Lots of great stuff from there... but I can't get over how fucking awsome The New Pornographers are...

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-13 14:51:25
    My Score:

    shindo are you from vancouver?? how bout the New Town Animals , Evaporators, and the Hanson Brothers

    Posted by shindo on 2002-03-13 10:06:07
    My Score:

    Canadians can’t be held responsible for Sum 41 any more than the Americans can be held responsible for Limp Bizkit and Creed.

    Wyzo, you're always welcome here in Canada... however once you live here you'll be paid in our dollars, which arn't really worth anything but look really fucking cool. But required entrance into Canada requires you to familiarize yourself with the Vancouver indie-pop scene... New Pornographers all the way!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 5:16 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    and who could forget how both our hockey teams FUCKING KILLED the states at the olympics!!!

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-13 04:25:19
    My Score:

    SUM 41!!! you know you love it wyzo

    Posted by wyzo on 2002-03-13 03:40:52
    My Score:

    people always want to know why I want to move to canada. No large armed force, no guns, stronger liquor, cleaner air, the dollar is worth more there, whats not to love?

    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 1:11 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Don't forget The Real Mckenzies

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 1:10 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    GOB's "How Far Shallow Takes You" being one of the top 5 greatest punk/hardcore cd's ever created

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-13 01:09:35
    My Score:

    By A Thread, GlassHead, Chixdigit, Deville, THE GUESS WHO!!

    Posted by evildeadalive on 2002-03-12 22:51:36
    My Score:

    NomeansNo, Grade, Dayglo Abortions, Belvedere, and a whole lot more. And yes, it is the beer. (although the whole 10$ for 24 cans would be pretty cool)

    Posted by layawayplan on 2002-03-12 13:00:54
    My Score:

    Don't forget moneen, choke, layaway plan...another joe is decent, and gob gets credit for 1 (one) good album and a bunch of annoying shit.

    I think it's our vastly superior beer.

    Posted by wyzo on 2002-03-12 02:59:02
    My Score:

    canada has the music thing down.

    painted thin, christine fellows, sixty stories, the paperbacks, the weakerthans,
    propaghandi, head hits concrete, malefaction, greg macpherson, DOA.

    Is it in the glacially melted water?

    wyzo

    Posted by matteatworld on 2002-03-11 19:30:49
    My Score:

    i saw this band in november for the first time... and i had never heard about them before.. and i must say they were the most amazing indie band i have ever seen... section one is a song i really reccomend everyone downloads

    Posted by whendovescry on 2002-03-11 16:24:54
    My Score:

    Why don't you post my obviously superior reviews? Aw geez.