When Helen Earth Band put out Our Own Ghost City I thought they'd blow up much bigger with a lot more credit drawn to their name. Something about that album felt so free and raw. Having loved bands like Counterfit and Finch, I look back and see exactly why I was drawn to them. Those band members brought their influence over and meshed nicely. I remember a Weatherbox fan recently saying how pumped he was for what We Fucking Quit has to offer and I couldn't blame him. I was eager to see if this record was a take on the members who departed and left them as a trio but more so, to see if they could recapture their 2009 essence. For the most part, they do. Not as much as I anticipated but...they do.
The album's chock full of sharp turns in terms of guitarwork and that's very musically dynamic. The intricate math-y feel's very heavy which fans of Into It.Over It and Enemies would probably dig. Angular sounds crafted at various twists and turns give them an extra edge on their start-stop melodies and bass thumping jams such as "Temperature Rising" and "Remind Me Why." They don't overdose too much on the indie-punk and this manages to work for them as it gives leeway for these math-heavy sections. Some times the concentration is a bit too much on this aspect of the album though and things feel a little constricted.
They continue to play off pauses throughout the record as the much-needed breezy tune in "Mazes" shows. It's one of the tracks that flows neatly into a louder build but it also serves to remind the listener just how much little fresh breaths like these are needed. A couple of the songs carry the same kind of vibe on and on and really run the risk of losing your attention. Some tracks feel catchy and accessible but when these jumping-on points fade away, you feel like there's a tad bit of filler involved. Nonetheless, if you're looking to chalk this up as a successful return, please do. It's been a while since HEBs been in the game as a collective and while they're not as rusty as I thought they may be, they're not quite up to scratch...yet. I've pretty much got the same impression I did when I first caught wind of them. There's immense potential shown yet again on We Fucking Quit and I can't wait to see them uncork more of it.