the visitors - sober

The Visitors

Sober
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ethan Skeleton

The Visitors formed in the fall of 2013 –  a four-piece act made up of young rockers looking to find their sound and play like hell. What they came up with is something like Weezer meets a local talent show. They have big dreams and small egos. A great place to start. When you skate and surf and drink and then skate some more, it's the life that really lends itself well to a carefree style of recording. And songwriting for that matter as well. There's nothing super deep going down in the notebooks at their drummer's house, but that's not what they're about. It's an intuitive, diagnostic social spilling of the world that they see day to day. So check it out on their EP entitled Sober EP.

"Misused" and "Lowlife" both utilize multi track distorted megaphone vocals, garage thrash sound with thin guitar lines and room defused drums. The theme seems to be quick pace, by the book chord placement and upper neck noodling to taste. Brings me back to the days of my first band, hanging out in a dude's basement just shreddin’ out classic rock until almost midnight. I feel the same vibe coming off of The Visitors. Singsong moments and LA guitar make their way through swampy production in a way that's edgy, primitive, punk, and 50% off. 

"Feels" starts out just like "Misused,” the sticks click away and the song takes hold with the exact tempo of its predecessors. The guitar melody is even higher than before and works around a little more intricately. What starts out atypically and more so ominously is the title track "Sober.” There's a sense of wonder as to what will happen next, but soon enough the tension just farts and we return back to the head bopping noise machine that's been plugging away since the first note like a generator on Red Bull.

I'd like to know where they got the name The Visitors. I think aliens, but who knows. It's a good name and I hope it helps them swallow small towns and clubs on their road to fame. There is a need for modern inspiration in their work. I can't help but find it dated; that's not a knock or a discouragement more than it is industry advice from a guy who's been there. Take it with a grain of salt or take it on the rocks. Best of luck to the group either way.

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