Shutter – Above Us All
Emo isn’t dead, and New Jersey quartet Shutter is living proof. Every few years, a new wave of emo cascades through the airwaves – bringing heartfelt lyrics, dark vibes, and a new generation of emotionally-in-tune kids who turn to this poignant genre of music as a way to define themselves. Whether you’re a late 90s aficionado, a mid-aughts holdout, a Midwest fan, or anything in between, there’s a part of this genre that sticks with you for life. Shutter is a great band in a line of great bands who are making great music – Their latest EP is the five-song Above Us All, a “kinda rock” offering of cathartic, guitar-forward songs. Fans of the heavier variety of emo that flirts with hard rock and grunge – think Citizen, Balance and Composure, and/or Superheaven – will find lots to sink their teeth into here.
Above Us All kicks off with “What I Think I Follow”- full of harmonized, distorted guitars; pounding four-on-the-floor drums; and passionate, yelped lyrics that smack with the pain of finally growing out of your youth. Quickly, Shutter hits you with a crushing line -“What if I don’t grow up to be everything you thought I’d be?” It reminds you (or at least me) of (maybe not-so) simpler times, when your (or at least my) only concern was when your next album would come out. They follow it up with the grungier “Burn,” which feels a bit more in the hard-rock vein. The downtuned guitars and gritty bass tone sound extra sludgy here, and the melodies and vocals hit hard, like a modern rock song. The phased vocals are their secret weapon, a tasteful production choice that sounds like something you might hear on the radio, or maybe track two on that beloved, scratched-to-hell burnt CD that you played to death on your commute to college.
Our favorite song on the album goes to “Erase Me” – and they’ve captured a perfect visual accompaniment to go alongside it (embedded below). “Erase Me” feels urgent and angsty, and alongside the crunchy guitars and impassioned vocals you’ve come to expect, the band has captured the dark despair of what it means to question your long-held world view. There’s nothing more claustrophobic than when your previously-held beliefs collapse – whether it’s the death of a childhood friend; a loved one suffering with a mental illness; drug abuse; or the harsh realization that your life isn’t going to turn out the way you thought it would; it feels exactly like what’s captured by this video. A deluge of water pouring relentlessly over your head. A box that you can see through, but can’t quite break out of. Being held underwater. Dark and depressing for sure, but impactful, and most of all, sincere. On a more positive note, shout out to the bridge’s bass solo in this one – there aren’t enough bass solos in the world.
Don’t skip out on the rest of the EP – track three, “Jean Drive,” calls back to mid-aughts emo (think Senses Fail) and features a surprisingly refreshing use of glockenspiel in the snare-roll heavy bridge, adding a bit of sunny chime to this otherwise delightfully moody offering of songs. Lastly, album closer “Silver Savior” channels the aforementioned Superheaven with it’s dirge-like tempo, throat-shredding screams, and wide-open guitar leads. If you’re here for the heavy emotion, it’s a perfect way to wrap up this EP – “If I don’t wake up before sunrise, don’t call anyone. What difference does it make if I’m awake or dead inside?”
Above Us All is available now – check out the music video for “Erase Me” below, or, add their songs to your Spotify or Apple Music collection.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna