Thursday
Common Existence
Epitaph
By Kevin Hakansson
Earlier this decade, Thursday positioned themselves as one of the most important post-hardcore bands, well, maybe ever. Sure, they're not exactly Fugazi or Sunny Day Real Estate, but for underground music fans coming of age around Y2K, this band was it. Led by charmingly fragile lead singer Geoff Rickley, Thursday united emo kids and hardcore floor punchers alike with anthems like "Understanding in a Car Crash" and "Cross Out the Eyes."
This band appealed to kids who liked this type of overdramatic music in every way. Rickley wore his heart on his sleeve lyrically. The band released their opus Full Collapse on then hardcore heavyweight Victory Records. I even remember Rickley "passing out" on stage during their 2001 performance at the Worcester Palladium's Skatefest, drawing on-stage comments from bands ranging from Death Threat to Piebald to Catch 22. Serious stuff.
Since Full Collapse, though, it's been tough to judge just where the career of Thursday was heading. Their major label debut, War All the Time, did pretty well, but its follow up, A City by the Light Divided, came and went without much more than a murmur. A bizarre reunion with Victory produced a retrospective CD/DVD, which had to leave fans wondering if that was it for Thursday.
Hardly. 2008 was a big year of writing and recording for the band, and after a split with Envy, Thursday signed on with Epitaph Records to release what has to be viewed as a comeback record. Common Existence showcases a band whose music doesn't quite have the same urgency it had nearly 10 years ago, but pushes the envelope regardless.
As Common Existence begins, it's hard not to think of Thursday's more adventurous post-hardcore contemporaries during the album's lead track. "As He Climbed The Dark Mountain" features the type of no holds barred guitar and drum work one would expect from At The Drive In, as is the frantic backing vocal "Goodbye!" shouts. Rickley's voice is still there though, his frail yet defiant voice drenched in reverb.
The trend set in "Dark Mountain" proves prophetic. On previous records, including on the band's most relevant songs, Rickley was the focus; his vocals were mixed high, his lyrics prominent. While his howl is still perhaps the band's most easily identifiable factor, it's the progressive instrumentation that really set Thursday's new record apart.
Gone, for the most part, are the more standard hardcore/metal guitar riffs that populate earlier records. Replacing them are significantly more enlightened instrumentation and arrangement. In fact, "Beyond the Visible Spectrum" is even packed with violins and other strings to back the dreamy, soaring, just heavy enough guitar riffs. As the song slows to an end, the band guides Rickley out as he moans "Every one you love" in what proves to be an early watershed moment.
The song that may garner the most attention on Common Existence is "Circuits of Fever." After a spacey/prog intro to the tune, this one takes a bit of a turn, as the second half combines a few intriguing elements. First, Rickley leads a danceable, infectious chorus that, for good reason, comes back a few times; his reverberant vocals hidden in the mix, yet still prominent. In between passes of said chorus, Rickley really gets to let loose, screaming in a manner that's rarely as blood-curdling as it is here.
Despite the obvious presence of some new influences and preferences, Thursday nevertheless does manage to mix things up a bit, and include some songs that will certainly resonate with purists. "Love Has Led Us Astray" keeps it simple, and its quiet, subdued nature will remind us of what made the band appealing to the indie crowd in the first place. "Astray" is followed by "Resuscitation of a Dead Man," a scream-along that's again reminiscent of At the Drive In, while "Subway Funeral" and "Time's Arrow" are also progressively dense.
After a full listen, Common Existence really winds up being pretty easy to sum up. As a band, Thursday has definitely changed. That is to say, they're not playing the same influential, emotional hardcore they were playing in 2001. But their latest offering is still decidedly important, showing a band that's grown up to experiment with a new and exciting sound. Even if you miss the band that Thursday once was, it's hard not to salute the band they've become.
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