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Young Olympians, the second
release from Annapolis, Maryland-based foursome
A Perfect Kiss, is hefty
package. With 12 tracks clocking in at over an hour,
the album is a full-on investment for the listening
ear. A Perfect Kiss moves in the clichéd,
played-out direction of post-hardcore vocally and
lyrically, while their crushing melodies and knack
for some serious texture save them from them being
pigeon-holed as what was last year’s big thing.
Each track begins in as a singular unit; sometimes
it’s with cheer and handclaps (“D-Up!”),
other times it’s with the grace of effect-laden
guitars (“Ashes.”) By the middle of
each intensely long track, A Perfect Kiss’s
sound comes together to form something so colossal
it’s almost overwhelming. While the band
states influences ranging from traditional punk
to classic rock, much homage is paid to the early
and mid-nineties “alternative” sound.
The opening track, “Bottom of the Sunrise,”
echoes like a Smashing Pumpkins outtake session,
with drummer Scuba Steve sounding as if he is
directly channeling Jimmy Chamberlain in his prime.
Artful but not overdone, A Perfect Kiss blends
and blurs beautifully orchestrated guitars and
synthesized sounds, creating a torrential album
of gorgeous music. Encompassing the honesty and
kindness of The Anniversary and burying it between
the dramatic screams of The Bled, A Perfect Kiss
shows a smartness in their task. Long but not
drawn-out, Young Olympians is an album
of many angles with a sound that just may survive
a long over trend.
Bree Kutz, January 14th, 2004
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