Trolling the troughs of modern despair are
Free Throw
, a vigorous yet wistfully disappointed emo power quintet hailing from Nashville, Tennessee. After a handful of EPs and a full-length debut on
Count Your Lucky Stars
, the band signed with New York indie
Triple Crown Records
to release
Bear Your Mind
, their sophomore LP. Working with producer
Brett Romnes
(
I Am the Avalanche
,
the Early November
) and mixing engineer
Vince Ratti
Braid
mewithoutyou
),
reemerge with a more streamlined sound than before, offering a thick-toned attack that lassos in some of their wilier moments while still allowing space for their three-headed guitar beast to roam. Mathy, interlocking parts roil alongside singer
Cory Castro
's dramatic incantations while the steadfast rhythm section of bassist
Justin Castro
and drummer
Kevin Garcia
holds court underneath. The emotional range frequently veers from quiet introspection to tidal surge, especially on tracks like opener "Open Window" and "Hope Spot," each of which builds a gently downtrodden landscape before bursting open the dam in the final quarter. With the added production value also comes greater definition and nuance, helping some of
transcend standard emo tropes that could sink a more poorly-arranged set. Still,
are not out to break the mold with this one and, for the most part, the material lives in the pretty familiar confessional, heavy-hearted indie guitar rock. They sport a solid pair of vocalists in
Castro
and guitarist
Jake Hughes
while occasionally setting off fireworks with clever guitar work, but overall,
tucks neatly into the ongoing emo revival. ~ Timothy Monger