The right sound at the right time
Modern Life Is War was founded in early 2002 by "five kids from Des Moines", who set out with the intent to create music that was "sincere, youthful and passionate". They recorded and self-released their first 7" the following March, which they used as a promotional tool to help them set-up a 3-week tour around the East Coast. This tour in turn helped them secure a record deal, as shortly after returning they signed to Martyr Records, with Reflection Records taking care of business in Europe. It's always nice to see a band who, rather than just sitting around waiting to be signed, take matters into their own hands; self-release their own record, set-up their own tour, then be rewarded for all the effort they've put in - it's like a hardcore fairy tale...
However, whilst this is a great example of a band being signed as a result of dogged determination, it's also an example of what is happening now that hardcore is fashionable; with record labels that are desperate to exploit this favourable climate signing new acts that aren't really good enough. Unfortunately, Modern Life Is War is one of those bands.
I had never listened to them before, but by the time the first track had finished, I had heard all that they have to offer. They say that variety is the spice of life, but MLIW don't have enough spice to make up for their lack of variety. They play relatively decent hardcore: hard in all the right places, with just the right amount of melody, but they don't possess anything that distinguishes them from the reams of bands who are doing exactly the same thing.
The lyrics are apparently meant as shelter for people who are "down and out and feel like shit", and to help "turn your life around and pick up the pieces". This amounts to little more than delusions of clichéd grandeur, because far from being the rehabilitative gospel it proclaims to be, 'My Love, My Way' is packed with contrived lyrical giblets such as "scrape your heart from the bottom of the barrel" and "I lie awake wondering why I'm an all-or-nothing kid and why I've been feeling like nothing all the time". I'm sure this will appeal to 'troubled' kids, you know, the type that like to mope around looking tortured, screaming sporadically, but for the rest of us it's a little tiring.
It's all swings-and-roundabouts in what's fashionable rock-wise, and on this evidence, harcore/screamo/whatever doesn't have much angst left in its tank. It's going to be interesting to see what genre finds public favour next; my money is on a more laid-back hardcore (loungecore! - the revolution starts here). Perhaps not…
'My Love, My Way' seems a good enough album whilst you're listening to it, just don't expect it to leave much of a lasting impression. The band are coming to Europe for the first time this summer, as part of a June/July tour with Black Cross - if it's cool: go, if you're cool: don't.