BoySetsFire - Tomorrow Come Today

BoySetsFire
Tomorrow Come Today
Windup Records
Grade: A

This ultra-political emo-core band from Delaware continues on their pursuit of perfecting their craft. Started in the mid-90s, BoySetsFire (BSF) have come to distinguish themselves in the cluttered world of punk and hardcore. At their start, BoySetsFire played mostly hardcore bills, where the super melodic changes and soapbox lecturer of lead singer Nathan Gray often created grumbling and at points boos from crowds just looking to throw down. Nevertheless, BoySetsFire never compromised on their sound and what they are about. Since, and particularly recently, bands have used the tracks laid by BSF to launch their own sound. Hence, BSF often find themselves lead a new charge in the underground music world. After bouncing around on a number of labels (e.g., Magic Bullet, Initial, Equalvision and Victory), BSF signed with Windup a short time ago.

Their EP Live For Today, a pre-cursor to Tomorrow Come Today, was extraordinary and showed their maturity over time. This excellence has carried over to Tomorrow. Most striking between the new and old material is the infinitely better recording time and technology BSF has access to now. For instance, on the opening track "Eviction Article," a slow intro of words and slight noise leads to crisp drumming building to the song's explosion. It is beautiful to hear the best recording technology being used on a band with so much intensity and meaning, instead of just generic mainstream rock. After listening to the record many times, I honestly can't say there is a bad song among the twelve (well, actually thirteen). In fact, just the opposite; all of the songs exist on their own plane and flat-out rock. Very much on par, BSF move between melodic emo-rock (e.g., Last Year's Nest") and straight-up metallic hardcore (e.g., "Release the Dogs"), sometimes in the same song (e.g., "Dying on Principle") and other times whole songs of the ilk. Also, as has characterized BSF's past releases, they tackle meaningful topics on the record including militarism, war, spousal abuse and religious hypocrisy. Unfortunately for collectors of BSF releases, Tomorrow includes "Release the Dogs," "Bathory's Sainthood" and "Handful of Redemption," which were originally on Live For Today. In addition, "High Wire Escape Artist" was on the Daredevil soundtrack.

But by the same token, the limited edition CD version include a Live DVD of a show taped at the Trocadero in Philly on January 25th, 2003, behind-the-scenes and interview footage. The pre-show footage includes a tour of the BSF house, the equipment loading and sound check, as well as an interview on the meaning of BSF. For the show itself, you can opt for either the show in continuous form or for an explanation/commentary of each song than the live song. The quality of the show is top-notch with great audio and a plethora of camera angles. Unnaturally for most of past BSF shows, there is only limited soapboxing by Nathan Gray. The eleven songs performed at the show span from across their releases and includes "Release the Dogs," "Pure," "Handful of Redemption" and "Vehicle." The live DVD makes the purchase of the CD a great buy.

By far and away, in both song and recording quality, Tomorrow Come Today is the best BoySetsFire release to date and sets up high expectations in the future.