See This World – “The Time Is Now”
“I see trees of green, red roses, too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
I love Louie Armstrong, Joey Ramone, too. But this is what I see:
A world where the number one cause of death for living beings is starvation and I’m not sure but I’m guessing number two is being eaten alive. A world designed by cruelty, even before man gets his misguided hands involved. A world where it’s eat or be eaten, kill or be killed, might makes right. The best are beaten and shunned while the worst reap the rewards and the acclaim. Where stupidity and ignorance reign supreme and the pure are often driven mad by a world seemingly designed and run by mad men.
That’s how I see this world and this band is See This World and it looks like their vision is closer to mine than Louie’s.
And their music is very good modern hardcore with dabs of reggae, garage rock and experimental around the edges of their painting.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
After four slammin’ chords “Understand” double times the tempo like someone caught in a twirling turnstile. The clear, melodic vocals run in a breakneck speed as the drums revolve in a rhythmic tornado and the instruments bash and smash along. “I don’t need any fuckin’ headaches from you man/ I don’t think you fuckin’ understand.” The rockin’ first part and the hard hitting hardcore part alternate until a cool, dissonant guitar solo goes haywire over a more, moderate heavy beat. I don’t understand a lot of things but you should understand that this is a great, fun, creative hardcore tune.
“Banks” is a super charged Bo Didley beat that has walloping guitars and drums before a high-pitched scratchy hardcore vocal soars over a crashing beat. It’s followed by a low voice over the intro part. “The banks got me walking the planks/ Spilling my blood/ The world is getting colder.” Then a slower rock beat provides a short breakdown before we’re whisked away into the burning energy again. Maybe this song is more like a typical hardcore song but with enough twists and turns to keep the mind engaged and the excitement level up- another winner.
“It’s a sad, sad, day when people got to live that way/ Its a sad, sad, day/ It doesn’t have to be that way.” “Sad Day” has a subtle reggae beat that floats below the crunching guitars and excellent, tuneful vocals. “Caution contents under pressure.” This song is a strong commentary on modern life and a great tune as well.
See This World is fronted by Dave Tree- the singer from the popular, local hardcore band Tree from a few years past. Here he is backed up by the musicians in Dot Rats, the great local hardcore/rap band. Dave has an amazing pitch perfect, high ranged voice that we don’t get to hear in local hardcore very often and incisive, social commentary lyrics backed up nicely by his borrowed (we feel stolen is such a harsh word) band.
Dave is a full time artist, nowadays. I recommend checking out his sweet Sweet Tree Inc. gallery in Watertown. I’ve always appreciated art and his stuff has always blown me away. And he picks really good, interesting artists to exhibit there. And it’s not a stuffy, pretentious place. It’s really a comfortable, inviting, exciting place to visit.
But this is a music review, dag nabbit! I like this band a lot and I like this ep a lot, too. I see See This World, which may refer to take a look around and be aware, better than I see life and you may agree.
But that’s the funny thing about art, it can make you feel better about things that are bad.
(Slimedog)
