"To Keep Me from Sinking"

Means - To Keep Me from Sinking

Official Release Date: June 3, 2008
Record Label: Underground Operations

1. Awareness
2. Breaking In
3. Somewhere Up Ahead
4. Black Out
5. Steadily
6. We Dwell in Possibility
7. Burned Into Me
8. Refuge
9. What We Seek
10. Of Dread and Dreams

Regina based heavy-hitters Means deliver the masses their brand spankin’ new full-length “To Keep Me from Sinking” released on Underground Operations. I have heard wonders about this band for quite some time now, but to be honest, the temptations of familiar music and a tall pint of Guinness seemingly overpowered my will to check these dudes out. Now, after hearing their latest release I must say that I truly wish I checked them out earlier. The record is full of tasty elements that range from melodic riffs and vocals, to the aggression and brutality of any established hardcore act. Don’t let those apparent stock elements turn you away, Means provide the listener with a tremendous sense of originality within each track.

The record opens with the 1:50 track “Awareness”, a nice little straight to the point, slap in the face number that works as the perfect preface to the record. Catchy melodies in contrast with an evenly weighed sense of punk and hardcore are present within this yummy number.

To be honest, I have not had enough time to let this record truly sink in, so the possibility of digging within the core of each track, at this point would be misleading and not honest. I will say however, that two songs in particular tickled my fancy significantly more than any of the other tracks did; “We Dwell in Possibility” and “Of Dread and Dreams”.

“We Dwell in Possibility” starts off with a fast paced drum beat and catchy, melodic guitar lick… a guitar riff similar to something post-hardcore titans Saosin would have loved to write. Bottom line, this song is simply relentless, catchy, and perhaps the most impressive clean vocals on the record. Being the longest song on the record (4:40), it is nice to hear that it does not drag on, yet still maintains a somewhat basic song structure.

“Of Dread and Dreams” is the last song on the record, and appears to be the perfect closer. This song maintains the same elements as each other song on the record seems to have; however, certain sections of this song provide the most metal driven factors within the entire record, specifically in the verse sections. I can’t really say what it is about this number that I like so much, but at this point “Of Dread and Dreams” is my jam off of the record.

If you are a fan of bands such as The Holly Springs Disaster, Comeback Kid, and yes, even Saosin, in my opinion Means is a band you should check out. My final comment about “To Keep Me from Sinking” can be interpreted as a good thing or bad thing… so you decide. Right off the bat, the record is predictable, after hearing the first track, I already knew the entire record. Yet, when truly enjoying the overall listen, is Means sense of predictability a bad thing?


www.myspace.com/means_music
www.undergroundoperations.com/means