Emotionalpunk.com
Show Review
Illinois’ pop rock kings, Park, put out their latest release “It Wont Snow Where you are Going,” released in November of 2003 through Lobster records. Though it has been two and a half years since that release and the group took off a substantial amount of time in the last year, the CD is still routinely in my CD player. Riddled with pop melodies and gloomy lyrics, Ladd Mitchell’s song writing really shines through and is complemented by his surrounding musicians. Drive-Thru Records Socratic is another disc that is routinely found in my CD player. Poppy piano based melodies, smart songwriting and amazing bass lines characterize this talented group of musicians and their latest effort, “Lunch for the Sky” is one that is a near masterpiece. What do these bands have in common? They got together and played a show in Bowling Green, Ohio in mid-April and I was privileged enough to be in attendance.
The first band of the night was supposed to be Park, but due to the guys being caught in horrible weather, they didn’t get there until later. So, Socratic took the stage first proceeded to blow me away. Sticking mostly to their most recent effort, “Lunch for the Sky,” the five piece blew through tracks like the piano heavy “Alexandria as our Lens” and the rocking “Tear a Gash.” Lead vocalist and guitarist, Duane Okun, stood no taller than 5’5”, ruled the stage like a seasoned veteran. Though the venue was not friendly for guitars or vocals, you would not have guessed because the three vocalists were clear and the guitars were smooth when they needed to be and crunchy when they needed to be. The guys flowed seamlessly through tracks, often having a quick musical interlude between songs before blasting into the next one. The real highlight of the night was the impromptu playing of the soft ballad “Too Late, Too Soon.” Guitarist, Kevin Bryan, took over lead vocals and made everyone melt. Though he broke two strings and seemed a little put off by it, that didn’t prevent he and back-up vocalist/pianist Vinny D’Amico from wowing me with this ballad. Closing with “Lunch for the Sky” and the moody “I Don’t wear a Coat,” I was taken, once again, by the band’s musical knowledge and talent. It blows me away that only about four other people were there to witness this show. I suggest you give these guys a listen.
While two pretty dismal local bands played, I had the chance to talk to the guys from Park out by their trailer. (The interview will be up soon. I promise it is a good read.) After the interview, they let me listen to the unmixed and unmastered version of the newly finished CD titled, “Building a better blank.” All I have to say is the disc will be worth the wait for all of you Park fans.
Soon there after, Park took the stage and proceeded to also put on a great show, taking tracks from both “It Won’t Snow Where You Are Going” and “No Signal” as well as a new song. Starting with the equally energetic and spiteful “Gasoline Kisses for Everyone,” the guys, led by lead vocalist and guitarist Ladd Mitchell, painted an emotionally moody scene through their music. The few people who stuck around (mostly drunks) chanted “You are busy fucking everyone” along with Ladd during that first track and, due to the club closing, the guys had to fly through another six or seven tracks with very little conversing with the crowd. But they still put on an amazing show. The real backbone of the group lies in Ladd’s lyrics and guitar playing and Miles drumming, and they were clearly on display tonight. As the last notes of “Codex Avellum” rang through Howard’s, the guys quietly thanked everyone for sticking around. Though I had to suffer through two horrible local acts and walked out of the club smelling like an ashtray to drive two and a half hours home, it was totally worth it.