Reviews: Squarewell - Two Toy Model
If you have seen a review not featured here, or have reviewed this or any other Engineer release yourself for your zine, please contact Engineer Records so we can add the review to our site, thanks.
Emo Is DEAD (http://www.emoisdead.com)
If I was mean I would call Squarewell names by saying this band just makes the shitty jock rock, people call emo nowadays. They're lucky I gave their CD a listen and found out Squarewell have nothing to do with Taking AFI On A Thursday. Nothing. It's emotional, yes. It's rock, yay. It's good, no question. One shouldn't praise the past but this american band has the dower to write songs that fit very much into the Quicksand era. Every song is a small hymn of its own. No wishy washy and no fillers. I wonder what the singer talks about in the lyrics because often I think I miss the point, but the words are chosen very well and create nice metaphors. The crux of the record is, and I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse, that it doesn't sound like you can get big with it. It's too honest and doesn't give a shit about trends. A lot of people will like it, but it will be hard to reach the scenesters.
Scratch Records (http://lists.scratchrecords.com/viewtopic.php?t=28)
Squarewell is a new Emo/Hardcoreband from Louisville, USA and will definitely be a favourite for all the people who like Thursday, Elliott and Taking Back Sunday.
The Journal Review (http://www.journalreview.com)
England's Engineer Records is finally giving Squarewell their stateside due by distributing their 2004 debut full-length, "Two Toy Model," in the U.S. and England.
This Louisville, Ky., collective is likely classified by most in the emo rock category. While that's certainly not misguided, those who instantly groan at the emo tag should reserve assumptions until after hearing "Two Toy Model." That's because Squarewell forge emotionally-piercing music that's thoroughly engaging, not the clowing, whiny sessions so much of the emo category has been accused of.
Some of the credit goes to album producer John Naclerio. Recorded at Nada Studios in New York, Naclerio bulks up the strings and beats to near mythical status. The drums register measured thunder throughout. The guitars are as full-bodied as a professional athlete's peak steriod use (not meant to imply any sort of cheating going on here). It's simply a powerful, impasto production.
And it takes many forms, but never loses focus. The six-strings are simultaneously impetuous and agitatively melodic ("One Collective Body"), produce cutting rhythms and tempo shifts that soundly overpower in numerous ways ("A Recommended Memoir") and construct seismic bridges behind the lyrics' keening emotion ("Elementary" and "Undercover Hopefuls").
If emo rock is on its way out, let's hope it doesn't take Squarewell with it. They've only just begun.
Scene It ALL (http://www.sceneitall.net)
Louisville, Kentucky has been known to bring favorites to the table such as: Elliott, Christiansen, Endpoint, and Boysetsfire, whom you could not forget if you tried. From the same place of birth comes a band called Sqaurewell. Squarewell formed in the year of 2002 and they have been thriving ever since. They have the vocals similar to that of Boysetsfire and they have the sprit of any hardcore influenced and emotionally band. Their lyrics are meaningful and their music is pleasant to the ear. They aren't afraid of modern influences and they harness it well within a unique sound which they call home.
In the early stages of 2004 Squarewell was joined in the studio by John Naderio who produced the Matchbox Romance album. The debut release entitled "Two Toy Model" is the fruit of their labor. 11 passion-feuled tracks, all of which deliver. This is not an album that you will want to skip songs on. All the songs are good. This band has a way of putting emotion into their music but not overdoing it. Emotion is a thing that can either make or ruin a band. Squarewell stays on the winning side of that line.
Indie, emo, rock, post hardcore, it's all in there. The opening song, "A Recommended Memoir", is a good way to grab your attention. A catchy guitar riff is laced with the vocals other elements that make it great. All the songs are definitely worth the time it takes to listen to them. They share a home with the greats and they don't let anyone down. This is a band that can be fairly grouped with the other great bands that have come from that little place in Kentucky.
This band is definitely for those fans of Boysetsfire who are thirsty for something new. While Boysetsfire is preparing to go into the studio Squarewell can definitely quench your thirst. When you listen, you will find yourself nodding your head in pleasure to the tracks on this album.
Journal Review (http://www.journalreview.com)
England's Engineer Records is finally giving Squarewell their stateside due by distributing their 2004 debut full-length, "Two Toy Model," in the U.S. and England.
This Louisville, Ky., collective is likely classified by most in the emo rock category. While that's certainly not misguided, those who instantly groan at the emo tag should reserve assumptions until after hearing "Two Toy Model." That's because Squarewell forge emotionally-piercing music that's thoroughly engaging, not the clowing, whiny sessions so much of the emo category has been accused of.
Some of the credit goes to album producer John Naclerio. Recorded at Nada Studios in New York, Naclerio bulks up the strings and beats to near mythical status. The drums register measured thunder throughout. The guitars are as full-bodied as a professional athlete's peak steriod use (not meant to imply any sort of cheating going on here). It's simply a powerful, impasto production.
And it takes many forms, but never loses focus. The six-strings are simultaneously impetuous and agitatively melodic ("One Collective Body"), produce cutting rhythms and tempo shifts that soundly overpower in numerous ways ("A Recommended Memoir") and construct seismic bridges behind the lyrics' keening emotion ("Elementary" and "Undercover Hopefuls").
If emo rock is on its way out, let's hope it doesn't take Squarewell with it. They've only just begun.
Scene It ALL (http://www.sceneitall.net)
Louisville, Kentucky has been known to bring favorites to the table such as: Elliott, Christiansen, Endpoint, and Boysetsfire, whom you could not forget if you tried. From the same place of birth comes a band called Sqaurewell. Squarewell formed in the year of 2002 and they have been thriving ever since. They have the vocals similar to that of Boysetsfire and they have the sprit of any hardcore influenced and emotionally band. Their lyrics are meaningful and their music is pleasant to the ear. They aren't afraid of modern influences and they harness it well within a unique sound which they call home.
In the early stages of 2004 Squarewell was joined in the studio by John Naderio who produced the Matchbox Romance album. The debut release entitled "Two Toy Model" is the fruit of their labor. 11 passion-feuled tracks, all of which deliver. This is not an album that you will want to skip songs on. All the songs are good. This band has a way of putting emotion into their music but not overdoing it. Emotion is a thing that can either make or ruin a band. Squarewell stays on the winning side of that line.
Indie, emo, rock, post hardcore, it's all in there. The opening song, "A Recommended Memoir", is a good way to grab your attention. A catchy guitar riff is laced with the vocals other elements that make it great. All the songs are definitely worth the time it takes to listen to them. They share a home with the greats and they don't let anyone down. This is a band that can be fairly grouped with the other great bands that have come from that little place in Kentucky.
This band is definitely for those fans of Boysetsfire who are thirsty for something new. While Boysetsfire is preparing to go into the studio Squarewell can definitely quench your thirst. When you listen, you will find yourself nodding your head in pleasure to the tracks on this album.
Plastic Noise (http://www.plastic-noise.com)
Next up on the table is the new album from the Louisville, KY band Squarewell. The album is entitled "Two Toy Model" and has a "melodic indie-rock-no frills punk and emotional hardcore" sound.
The standout track and my personal favorite would be "Elementary". The vocal and drum work on this track really stands out. "Chapter and Fiction" gives you the aforementioned punk sound while "A Heart Still Honored" puts forth the emotional vibe with heartfelt lyrics that just pour out from the vocalist like butter. The album is eleven tracks and each one is different from the other.
"Two Toy Model" is an album for fans of Thursdays "Full Collapse", Boysetsfire and Sunny Day Real Estate. The album is also very similar to the new sound that Hopesfall has acquired, but in my opinion Squarewell does it better.
Bizarre Radio (http://www.bizarre-radio.de)
Dear Reader of this review, if you read the word ELLIOTT and think of the old Disney movie called "Pete`s Dragon", you're definitely on the wrong website! But if you rather think of the same-titled band, that has ever been and still is one of the most important bands for the worldwide Emo community, than here comes a big recommendation for you: I'm sure that SQUAREWELL listened to ELLIOTT`S "US Songs" and "False Cathedrals" for quite a few times and these albums surely had some impact on their music.But although there are some similarities in the sound of both bands and although SQUAREWELL come out of Louisville, USA, just like ELLIOTT, don't think they're imitating them! Instead they're creating a very unique and outstanding sound, which surely will be loved by fans of older BOYSETSFIRE or today's leading Emo Bands like THURSDAY, too. The CD presents a very exciting mixture of hard hitting drums, brilliant guitar works with excellent melodies and a singer who's voice is touching the listener's heart in every second of the album. "Two Toy Model" has got enough warmth on the one hand and power/pressure on the other to make you feel like you're listening to a great show in your favourite club with a fantastic sound.
The first song "a recommended memoir" might not easily be captured and understood by everybody immediately, but it already shows how much potential there is in the music of SQUAREWELL. The following "Elementary" and "Chapter Of Fiction" are two Hit Songs, equally suitable for your favourite Emo Disco as well as for The Tape Deck in your car if you're on a longer travel. Especially "Chapter Of Fiction" makes you remember the `good old days` of early nineties Emocore, when nobody even thought of `Screamo`.
This is what makes "Two Toy Model" so special: it's the honesty and passion you can feel in every moment of the album. No stupid combination of one singer shouting against some `ex-girlfriend` and a second one, that cries more than he sings. 90 % of today's Screamo-Metalcore-something bands won't be able to write such an amazing and touching song like "Inanimate" in their whole career, that's for sure! So if you are one of those that still understand Emocore as `Emotional Hardcore`, then you definitely need SQUAREWELL`s new Album "Two Toy Model".
This is the proof of Emo/Hardcore music existing without any clichés! Don't Miss It! For Fans of ELLIOTT // BOYSETSFIRE // SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE // FALLING FORWARD // THE BLACKTOP CADENCE BIZARRE RADIO
Louisville.com (http://www.louisville.com)
No rough edges are heard with Squarewell, their music is solid and combines a calming side to the typical punk/alternative scene. The influences of punk, alternative and classic rock are heard throughout the album, but Squarewell manages to bring the band to a higher level through vocals and beats that veer from the norm.
With a calming sound, Squarewell encompasses the right mixture of soft and hard. And to add to the already solid arrangement, the band has the look and is working hard to get their name out there.
With the talent and the persistence it wouldn't be over the top to think that Squarewell will be the next big thing. Their sound is original, but not too far from some of the hot bands out there today. Squarewell is different enough to set themselves apart from the herd, yet not so different that they would have a difficult time fitting in.
