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Two Tongues

Two Tongues (2009)
Vagrant Records

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

Published on March 10th 2009

The two main songwriters involved in this project project a gross series of overreactions on this website. But when looked at through a calm sense of restraint and reality, and with the opinion that Say Anything is at least passable and Saves the Day still matter (for the most part), Two Tongues' self-titled debut is a very decent album.

The sound both Max Bemis and Chris Conley have come up with here leans heavily towards the more recent work created by the latter. It's a 35-minute collection of expressive, moderately up-tempo nuevo emo-rock done by some of the few dudes who still matter doing it, with enough saccharine sincerity and quirky guitar riffs to go for miles. The amble rhythm section's supplied by David Soloway (now ex-Saves the Day, bass) and Coby Linder (Say Anything, drums).

The dynamics on Two Tongues aren't as hard-hitting as the band probably imagined they were playing them in the studio, but they make up a fine core for things, notably on the first pair of cuts, "Crawl" and "If I Could Make You Do Things." "Dead Lizard," largely anchored by Conley, bears questionable '90s rock vibes, but is saved by an uptick in tempo and energy for the chorus. It still sort of feels like something is missing, but it's an interesting experiment for the band, as is covering Ween's "Even If You Don't" for a closer.

Another surprise comes in the "Interlude," as it's sung completely by Bemis' fiancée, Sherri Dupree of Eisley. Naturally, it sort of sounds like Eisley, with a murmured guitar melody bubbling beneath Dupree.

The band seem to sound best when they drift a little bit, sort of like on the haunting parts of Sound the Alarm. It comes in moments on songs like "Tremors" and "Don't You Want to Come Home."

If ...Is A Real Boy really did collide with Through Being Cool (as the band promise on their MySpace page), it would be a rather brilliant album. Two Tongues hardly delivers on that would-be opus, but it's still an expectedly pleasant slab of tunes from some prolific and able songwriters.

STREAM
Crawl
If I Could Make You Do Things
Wowee Zowee

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trevor905 (March 12, 2009)

bemis and butthead

Icapped2pac (March 12, 2009)

"It's okay, nothing too special. Still beats the shit out of the last two STD records and anything Say Anything has ever done. Chris's voice bugs me now though. Thank god I can still enjoy Through Being Cool."

My only disagreement is the star rating.

wentz_equals_death (March 11, 2009)

matt ramone offers harsh but swift justice

mattramone (March 10, 2009)

The only people who like this are whiny little shitsucks who should have been stillborn.

mikexdude (March 10, 2009)

I am a fake account.

conebone69 (March 10, 2009)

Should've named the album "feelin' faggy" with that cover art.

Then again, I suppose I'm too old according to Montana Max

TheMike (March 10, 2009)

Decent.

Nap (March 10, 2009)

inagreendase
No, I'm not a fake poster, you can check that on my profile
And I still think this album is boring. It may be ok on the first listen, but that's all.

mikexdude (March 10, 2009)

I've been known to enjoy both artist's music, but I do not like this at all.

hellxblazer (March 10, 2009)

It's okay, nothing too special. Still beats the shit out of the last two STD records and anything Say Anything has ever done. Chris's voice bugs me now though. Thank god I can still enjoy Through Being Cool.

miniblindbandit (March 10, 2009)

homonyms are fun.

andrewg (March 10, 2009)

score is for pavement's wowee zowee

paulrulzdood (March 10, 2009)

"If ...Is A Real Boy really did collide with Through Being Cool (as the band promise on their MySpace page), it would be a rather brilliant album. Two Tongues hardly delivers on that would-be opus, but it's still an expectedly pleasant slab of tunes from some prolific and able songwriters. "

that sums it up perfect for me right there. my expectations were a bit higher due to the hype, but the album is decent enough. nothing outstanding, but not a bad release for the first quarter of the year; historically, the shittiest quarter for new music so whatever. If this came out in July i'd probably lose it in the shuffle pretty easily.

"wowee zowee" and "if i could make you do things" are both great, probably the best collaberations and most successful effort on the album of actually combining the sounds and styles of the two bands Chris and Max represent.

but there' also a lot of average tracks and since they collaberated on the lyrics, they ended up semi-vague and not very thought-out. just average lyrics from two guys that can write some fucking amazing lyrics. on their own, they definitely write far superior lyrics.

Paul

nocigar (March 10, 2009)

that cover art is just ridiculous.

inagreendase (March 10, 2009)

Also, judging from his/her comment correlating so well to his username, I'd have assumed Nap was a fake poster.

inagreendase (March 10, 2009)

FYI, the only other reviews submitted for this were either (a) overly positive and read too much like a press release or (b) gave praise more mild than mine but admitted to being drunkenly written.

Nap (March 10, 2009)

Man, this album is boring!

Dante3000 (March 10, 2009)

Leave it to Brian to ruin what could have been a perfectly lovely, subjective and hate filled review.
You dick!
-Dante

kneebone (March 10, 2009)

more comments: this or propagandhi?