Letter Kills - The Bridge

Letter Kills
The Bridge
Island Records
Grade: A-

On the opening note of "Lights Out," the first track on The Bridge, you realize that you are in for a real treat from Letter Kills when the heavy guitar riffs come pummeling in. Though Letter Kills are the newest kid on the hardcore-punk crossover block, they may just be the best. If not the best, then damn well near the best.

The five-piece Letter Kills formed in Temecula, California in August of 2002 when lead singer Matt Shelton met up with a former Texas acquaintance in guitarist Tim Cordova. Quickly bringing the pieces together, Letter Kills were formed with a mission of bringing the world of rock back into indie music. As the one sheet would have you believe, it seems that the band had a fairly easy road given the plethora of horror stories out there. After forming, Letter Kills were fortunate to tour with a group of notables including Thrice, Finch, the Used and scored a full tour spot on 2003 Warped Tour - even without a full-length. However, they did have March 2003 three-song EP that the band probably used more as a demo then a legit EP. Their touring, along with the EP, got the band noticed by a growing number of labels with Island winning out in the end. Though I don't know the labels involved, but I'm sure I have a good idea given that guitarist from Finch helped them. It may take some time to determine whether signing with a major label was the best option for a long term career. Island does have experience with this burgeoning genre through Thursday, but majors also love to drain the shit out of a hot sound and then dump it. Hopefully the boys from Letter Kills set up a deal that won't destroy them in the end.

The back tray photo of the band makes them look like some Scandinavian garage band - like European Hessians. So when the blistering voice of Shelton and the guitars from Cordova and Dustin Lovelis come in on "Lights Out," you are very surprised. With drummer Paul Remund and bassist Kyle Duckworth keeping time, "Lights Out" is one of the hottest songs I've heard all year. It has all the elements that you are looking for: hard riffs, muting, screaming, strong melodic vocals and catchiness. Oh, don't forget a guitar solo where Shelton yells "guitar, that's right, oh baby," in a classic 70-80s cock rock fashion. At first I was annoyed at that comedic piece in the song, but now I love it. If all of the songs on The Bridge sounded like "Lights Out" then this would be the best record of the year, easily. That pre-season title is not diminished on the following "Don't Believe," which is the band's first single and was on their EP. While following very similar elements as "Lights Out," is lacks the jaw-dropping riff and borders slightly on the generic. Yet the regurgitating-sounding vocals of Shelton on the line "we got to get it right" are very impressionable. The sound is not unlike a well-balanced though very drunk man singing karaoke. Comparing the two, "Lights Out" should have been the first song and now should at least be the second. "Whatever It Takes" is more melodic then the opening two, while you can't get the seemingly lame chorus of "you just bought yourself a brand new man" on down-picking "Brand New Man" out of your head. "Clock Is Down" was also on their EP and is the first emergence of a mellow track. The guitars of Cordova and Lovelis are echoed to give a Police and U2 effect, before their crescendoing of vocals and instruments on the awe-inspiring chorus. This chorus is likely to produce an enormous sing-a-along at shows. "Time Marches On" lets out a little more classic rock with the basic foundation and caps off with an overindulging guitar solo which borders on gratuitously acceptable. "Carry On" begins in a similar fashion before resorting to a chorus that could come from a mid-90s Fat Wreck band - though enjoyable all the same. Though it is appreciated that Letter Kills pay homage to Jawbreaker and Beach Boys' harmonics on "Hold My Heart (Part Two)," the song comes off as a detrimental change in direction for the band. "When You're Away" picks up the pace and comes through with an enjoyable chorus, but it only sets the more dynamic "Radio Up." Also on the band's EP, "Radio Up" is considerably more poppy, punk and uptempo than the rest of the record and plays off much better than the "Hold My Heart (Part Two)" deviation. One could easily see "Radio Up" unironically on the radio as a single. Though the band closes on the draining "Hold My Heart (Part One)," they should have ended with the eleventh track "Shot to the Chest." While not necessarily rivaling "Lights Out," it fits the record's overall feel well. It seems Letter Kills would have been wise to drop these "Hold My Heart…" songs.

I've become hook, line and sinker for this debut from Letter Kills. It is refreshing that deserving bands are getting picked up by the mainstream and help filtering out the pure generic pop crap. Though some may argue that punk-hardcore amalgam's day has already passed - as in passé - there is still some serious life to be fleshed out. Letter Kills are proof of that.