Auburn
Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (2009)
Brian Shultz
Auburn are another unfortunate addition to the oversaturated crop of bands doing poor Every Time I Die impressions. Making matters worse is that Auburn sound most similar to ETID's worst album, Gutter Phenomenon. It's just prototypical nü-southern rock that I feel weird even calling metalcore despite super forced half-time mosh parts. He Is Legend was doing this so much better five years ago.
EP Opener "Waking Snakes" is a prime example of this, even throwing in a nasally, cleaner sung part from a backup vocalist. It's sort of like, oh, there it is. The slow-moving "Barn Burner" does an awful job of trying to incorporate a more serious and dramatic feel. And holy shit, a cowbell in "Like Trying to Kiss a Freight Train" before a weak howl, some watered-down Norma Jean riffs and then a complementary "OH!"
There's also a serious Christian slant here, which wouldn't normally bother me, but the lyrics are pretty poorly written. "So let's see how fast we can burn this thing to the ground / Burn it down / Trust in Him." Huh? And then a lyric in "Party Song" where they might be criticizing ditzy party girls and their cocaine use, but sort of just comes off misogynistic ("Baby / Are those your lips on my collar? / Or is it the blood from your nose?").
The one thing I most associated with Auburn, MA after my recent visit was the awful-smelling elevator at the La Quinta Inn. Nice place, but holy god, that elevator smelled like a piss-and-chemical cocktail. I guess it's appropriate I now have Auburn the band to add to that shortlist.