Calls Landing

"Same old script, vaguely different concept" are lyrics sung by frontman José Armitage of the new alternative emo quartet Calls Landing mid-way into their track Gravity. The meaning of this pessimistic observation is about the heartbreaking repetitions of life. Yet it could also theoretically apply to the carbon cloning of emo bands wishing to be the next My Chemical Romance, made in a thoughtless factory of irrelevance. The question is: how can Calls Landing avoid drowning in the black parade and do they have the distinctive characteristics to survive? Based on evidence A, their debut LP Heirlooms, they have half their bodies above water.

There are many things that make the Leeds four-piece associated with the emo scene besides the gloomy album cover. The overall concept of album appears to be about selfishness, blame, psychological impurity, heartbreak and growth. Although it's contents refer to suicide, emotion scars, death, depression and nihilism that belong in emo goodie-bags. "One minute we prosper, one minute we die, such a waste of time" on Ursa Minor is like the polar opposite to Disney's motivational karaoke and is slightly worrying in it's level of persuasion. You do feel that as you acquainted with the songs that singer José Armitage is trapped inside a depressive brick-well with the ladder of hope an impossible reach. Golden contains the powerful tattoo-inspiring lyric "erotic self- destructing heart" before an odd and befuddling mathematical structure of lines that lead to accusations of romantic naivety and lost memories: "One by one we will lay in the sun/Two by two I will lay next to you/Cracks begin to show three by three."

José Armitage vocals mostly begin calm, controlled and tediously unoriginal in the first minute before sporadic outputs of yelling like Dashboard Confessionals or a milder version of alternative metal groups Linkin Park and Papa Roach. It's obvious that it's a tool to express the most extreme form of emotion, with the most eruptious roars unleashed on Patrick. The shouts emphasize the speeches with the most fiery hatred: "There's nothing inside you. You were so full of yourself." as oppose to screamo death metal with continuous howling and unselective contrast points. Be warned though and wear a fire proximity suit, there's a lot hatred on this album- targeted at others and themselves.

On lead single Belgium, he states uncertainty: "I don't know what's above me but I've got a long way to climb" after pointing out the truthful, fragile and dire realities of friendships and relationships. Crutch also narrates a love triangle encounter full of surprise and deceit and how it leads the protagonist to alcoholism and an emotional coma, although hints that the blame could be self inflicted atonement: "Is the blood on my hands to suffocate me?" Expressions of psychological impurity and self-loathing are demonstrated throughout the album including in Patrick, "inside I'm a monster, my mind is a graveyard. I'm a failure and my reflection is unclear." Reassurance and a seek for help litters Gravity: "Tell me I'll get by, will I? but ultimately it's in vain and ends in hopeless tragedy: "My whole life, I'm letting it slip. Prepare myself for the worse. To you my final words, gravity is my rebound." Notably, Armitage doesn't write to the reader but merely profiling himself to an unconfirmed antagonist, whilst inside knowledge and the complete history of his private life is frustratingly needed to understand the majority of his wisdom.

Tightrope highlights anxiety issues that vocalist José Armitage and former guitarist Dan were experiencing at time of songwriting. It's a bond between two people sharing the same mental state and supporting each other with the minuscule strength they still hold: "I'll be here for you if you are out of 'all rights'. It has a commendable empathy expressed with modern colloquialism. Empathy is further shown on the best track lyrically, Sorry About The Weather. This is unusually not about himself (which is ironic considering he accuses others of selfishness) and appears to be supporting his mother through turbulent times, whilst apologizing for his inability to help her through the anguish. "I'm sorry he left holes in the wall./ You did everything right./You had your children in mind./I hate to see you struggle." Breaks in energy are moderately effective in creating the mood but rain effects and a sentimental mid-tempo pace in the vein of Ringside's Raining Next Door would been more appropriate. Instead we have a voice that wants to be all it's heroes at once and a predictable lack of music identity that lies between Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy and Simple Plan in a blend of hard alternative and emo rock.

The album's principle problem is that the lyrics are far superior in character and interest than the music arrangement itself with only a hint of promise at the tail end of the album worth crediting. Those bright sparks include the quirky indie guitar performance on Bookshelf, which also incorporates smart classic shred guitar jamming and bubble iced amplified swirls. Additionally the melodic, minimal and sorrowful atmospherics and delicate riff on Ursa Minor - which also tampers with mic distances until it fades away- are rare gems in the clutter of banal. Weak idiosyncrasies such as repetition in selected verse sentences can't save an album that takes an abundance of listens to stick inside the head.

With a sound so undeniably American, it's a wonder where they will fit in the Leeds circuit, a scene becoming increasingly known for art rock (Alt J and Wild Beasts) and quintessentially British sounding indie rock (Pigeon Detectives, Kaiser Chiefs, Sky Larkin) and shoegaze (Menace Beach). Their closest neighbours in terms of explosive vocal and guitar crescendos would be Leeds's Pulled Apart By Horses. A heads up and high five on Facebook to that Alternative rock band should be next bullet point on Calls Landing's to-do list.

Heirlooms lands on 11th May and is self-released by the band alongside tour dates in London and Manchester. See details below.

Calls Landing tour dates:

18th April – DQ, Sheffield
9th May – The Key Club, Leeds
10th May – The Hop, Sheffield
12th May – Birthdays, London (supporting Make Do And Mend)
13th May – Kraak, Manchester