Driving on City Sidewalks – Where Angels Crowd to Listen

Driving on City Sidewalks’ new EP is pretty epic considering there are only five songs on it and two of them don’t even contain a single word. Ethereal guitars that occasionally get loud and melodic, drums that go back and forth between calm and subdued to brash and boisterous, lyrics that dive into the heavenly, the hereafter and other mysteries of life…there is a lot of pretty heavy stuff on this album.

“To Finish the Race” is a slow-burning number about the quality of life each of us chooses to live. It’s not how much you win the race by or how fast you complete it, but rather if you’ve run it in a way that is honorable and filled with integrity. It’s reminiscent of that old saying, “Live your life so the preacher won’t have to lie about you at your funeral.” The title track is a dreamy number about the life-altering effects of a near-death experience, while “Tear, Repair” is summed up in these lyrics:

But muscles don’t get stronger
if they don’t learn to tear
the point of love ain’t to tear
it’s to tear and repair

The instrumental tracks—“And Ever Since…” and “Farewell to Knowing it All”—are different beasts. Except for a thirty-second blast of energy around the 3-minute mark, “And Ever Since…” is largely a lazy, easygoing track. The other track is a lumbering number whose otherworldliness increases as the nine-minute track progresses, sounding atmospheric and very much like a final curtain call for someone who is departing this life and heading for the next.

The vocals are the only real downside to this record because they are inconsistent. Singer Darryl Silvestri brings an affecting if imperfect vocal presence to these tracks. They are impassioned, and though there is not a lot of range to them, they do the trick. The gorgeous guest vocals of Rachel Colquhoun on the title track are refreshing, especially in light of the grating screams and bellows of Joe Manafo.

Where Angels Crowd to Listen is a nifty little EP. It’s raucous and healing, thought-provoking and confusing. It’s a neat journey through sadness and joy that will speak to you long after the album has finished playing.

Tagged as: Ontario, post-rock

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.