Like Circle Takes The Square, I Would Set Myself on Fire for You hailed from Georgia, and they almost definitely took some influence from As The Roots Undo for their second and final album, Believes In Patterns. If As The Roots Undo was throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks, then Believes In Patterns was just throwing shit everywhere and not caring about whether it stuck or not. It's an all-over-the-place, bursting-at-the-seams screamo/chamber pop album that has as much in common with Arcade Fire's Funeral or The Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat as with screamo. It flirts with avant-garde jazz, Americana, glitch, and more, and it's got overlapping vocals (both harsh and clean), lengthy atypical song structures, pounding complex drums, and plenty of other stuff. It's not an easy album to listen to all the time, but it's a hell of an accomplishment. - Andrew Sacher
Brooklyn Vegan
I Would Set Myself on Fire for You. It's a full sentence, and one that's hard to say with a straight face. It's easy to judge this band and write them off on the name alone, but those who do are missing out on an incredibly original and talented group of musicians.
I Would Set Myself on Fire for You is a 5-piece from Georgia. The instrumentation alone sets the band apart from the rest of the crowd in a tired genre beginning with "s" and rhyming with "Nemo." The group features, in addition to a guitar, bass, drums, a keyboard and synthesizer as well as a viola -- but no microphones during shows. The girl who plays the viola, Lindsey, also contributes a solid amount of vocals to the album, ranging from sweet, melodic singing to screaming alongside Stephen (guitar) and Justin (bass).
Already, the comparisons to Circle Takes the Square are being drawn. The intensity is there, the male/female dynamic is there, the intricate lyrics are there, and the experimental edge is most certainly present and accounted for. There's even a recorded spoken word part, although here, it's an answering machine message. The bands differ in a few important ways, though: While CTTS relies on keyboard/synth work and slight guitar to draw out their atmospheric interludes, IWSMOFFY fully utilize the viola in beautiful, sprawling arrangements -- a pleasant respite from bands who fail to realize their gimmick instrument's full potential. Believes in Patterns includes the keyboard and synthesizer, but it's never overwhelming. IWSMOFFY's instrumentals tend to hold your attention better.
A few of the tracks, such as "Seven," feature a saxophone played quite adeptly to add to the song's atmosphere, and all feature great talent and technical ability. This release won't be easy to find, but it's a welcome addition to a collection featuring Circle Takes the Square, Envy, Neil Perry, and Saetia, to name a few. These comparisons don't do full justice to the band, though -- I Would Set Myself on Fire for You is in a class of their own. Pay close attention to them. - Nick
PunkNews
