When a band releases a self-titled album, it is usually one of two things: either it’s a debut, or in the case of an established act, it’s a rebirth.
For The Early November, “The Early November” is the latter. Two decades into their career, Ace Enders reckoned that album number seven could be their last and approached it as such. “The Empress” is typical of what the album is about. It sounds like the mix of emo and post-hardcore that they always do, but as “The Magician” proves, there’s a maturity to it.
A gift for melody, too. Fellow New Jersey boys Gaslight Anthem would appreciate “About Me.” There’s an electronic element to “We Hang On,” and there are acoustic tinges to “What We Earn.”
“The Fool” is the longest song here and soars, and work like “Tired Of Living” feels like it was important to them, as if they needed to get it out on tape this time around.
It’s striking how the changes of pace work so well here. “The Dirtiest Thing” slows things down as Enders offers, “I’d like to think the sacrifice is enough to keep me alive” before it explodes.
Four of the songs are named after Tarot cards, the last of the quartet, “The High Priestess,” is a real high point, as founding drummer Jeff Kummer is at his best.
And it is stoic too. “And It Will Always Be” and its acoustics are almost folk, and its beauty is in the genteel nature of the harmonies.
It turns out it’s not the end, and the pair are vowing to “really rock.” However, this album is more subtle than that.
You can call it emo if you like, but you’d be lazy to do so (albeit it’s a thread running through things). Rather, this time around, on “The Early November,” The Early November sounds particularly self-assured.
Rating: 8/10
