This Is No Escape Art: Maritime @ Middle East Up, 10.22.06

I can learn to love endless genres of music. I can go further and further down the path of remixing, covering, and genre-mashing until it's dead, buried, and resurrected all over again.



But nothing...absolutely nothing...is going to get between Emo and I. But by dropping the E-bomb, the specifics are heavily adhered - there's only a thin slice of the 1990's, with a few early post-millenium exceptions, that are a part of the backbone of the scene that I grew up in. Stumbling further down the adult path, a lot of the garbage that's been released in the last few years combined with the accelerated accessibility of unsigned (and untalented) music can wear on us. "You're so excited about this record," someone my age who works at a major record label said to me. "You're the only person I know who isn't bitter and jaded...yet."

Screw the "yet." I went to see Maritime at the Middle East Upstairs late last night, after a weekend of drinking, not sleeping, and running around Boston with a friend who shares the same sentiments in regards to our formative years of music. Gorgeous. I knew I'd enjoy their set, but I didn't expect to stand there, half-dead, feeling a sense of utter peace and a sense of calm. Wrens still manage to hammer out the proper idea of what emo is supposed to be - a driving equality of rock and emotion - the kind that came before the scales were tipped and there was an oversaturation of rage or sappiness.

The crowd was old(er). Early thirties, late twenties. Little to no effort in dressing up. The lyrics for Maritime are much darker than those of The Promise Ring, but a lot has changed since then for band and audience. Still, we were all there because I think we were either holding on or non-believers ready for another reason. I think everyone got what they came for. There's a genuine feel to Maritime's sets that cannot be copied. It's easy to close your eyes, and move your body to their songs, clumsily mouthing to lyrics that you don't even know. Having just finished a tour in support of their latest record, We, The Vehicles, there are several reasons to check out Davey and Dan's latest efforts. Thirteen, actually...

Audible: Maritime - "Calm"
Website: http://www.maritimesongs.com
Purchase Vinyl: Foreign Leisure
Purchase Plastic: Flameshovel Store