Artist Spotlight: Balance and Composure
Amanda Warren
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: Entertainment
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The five members of Balance and Composure - Jon Simmons (vocals and guitar), Andy Slaymaker (guitar), Dan Kerrigan (guitar and WCU freshman), Matt Warner (bass), and Bailey Van Ellis (drums) all combined forces in September 2007 in Doylestown, PA and recorded a three song demo that November. Their next EP, released in July 2008 was titled "I Just Want to Be Pure." Shortly after releasing their EP, Balance and Composure embarked on a 10-day tour that went through Baltimore, Richmond, North Carolina, Connecticut, Boston, New York City, and New Jersey with their friends I Am Alaska.
Balance draws from a varied pool of influences, citing indie giants Explosions in the Sky, Red House Painters, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Neutral Milk Hotel and American Football; 80s mainstays The Smiths; and "emo" staples Jimmy Eat World, Braid, Mineral, Texas is the Reason and Jawbreaker; and even Johnny Cash.
These influences become apparent and critical when one listens to the band's July 2008 EP.
The first song "I Just Want to Be Pure" is a very short instrumental track with faint singing in the background, ala "Tautou" by indie / emo heavies Brand New. I'm not sure if this really necessitated a separate track and not just an introduction, but diehard Brand New, and similar bands, fans will have their interest peaked early. As the CD progresses, moving onto "Weakman, Weakboy," the listener is introduced to the band's most purely (no pun intended) "emo" track, which features singer Jon Simmons' dulcet tones overlayed with a Brand New-ish background and even appearances by a tambourine and chimes. The EP moves on with a third track "Alone for Now" which reminded me of a very sad / "emo" Mewithoutyou. If Aaron Weiss had a really bad day, he might write this song. Balance begins to really show off their spot-on guitar work and borrow from Mewithoutyou with the inclusion of shouting (not screaming) and Brand New with some shouted gang vocals.
The fourth track, "Waiting, Thinking, Giving Up" is nothing short of an epic, including many of their influences to form a 3:39 masterpiece of diverse genres. The song pairs its "emo" love themed lyrics with catchy, dancey, crowd pleasing guitar hooks done superbly well and heavily influenced by Minus the Bear, a trend that continues on to the next two songs. "Waiting" also contains pop elements reminiscent of The Starting Line, making for an interesting blend of three similar but contrasting subgenres of rock.
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