Infectious tunes
Chicago four piece Castevet's catchy, poppy, punky emo tunes with a quirky core are perfect for brightening up even the dullest day; hooky, chunky guitars collide with great melodies and gruff vocals. There's a really nostalgic 90s feel throughout the record which pervades every note and makes you think of those days when emo wasn't a dirty word, or a brand, it was just about the music.
The album is quite short at eight tracks as it's being released as a vinyl LP, however what you get is all good: opener 'Six Parts Summer' sets the tone; a jangly sound to the slightly mathy guitars, vocals that slide easily between sung and shouted and a memorable chorus, 'Narrow Hallway' follows, this is a great tune; assured riffing, and one of the most catchy melodies.
'Hiccups' reminds you that this in fact a new record and not an undiscovered 90s classic, with, apart from some fantastic guitar work and gang vocals, a lovely dreamy section of echoes towards the end, proving (if you needed any) that these aren't just all 3 minute pop songs but that the album is a more complicated beast on closer inspection. The dreamy washes become rougher and rawer before moving into 'Lautrec' a heavier tune with screamed vocals, but still those crystal clear chimes from the guitars, they never descend into a distorted sludge and you can always hear every note being played. 'Midwest Values' follows, possibly the stand out track on the record (if you listen to this reviewer), oh so catchy and great to sing along to. 'Cities & Memory' is also a contender for track of the album. Probably the most layered and intensely noisy tune here it surrounds you with gorgeous waves of sound to finish the record on a high point.
Such a great record; chases away the blues in an instant without being straightforwardly poppy or dumb. Moments of quiet reflection pepper many tracks in between those intense and infectious melodies, making for a very addictive album all round.