Joseph D'Agostino and Matthew Miller formed Cymbals Eat Guitars in 2007. They named the band after a Lou Reed quote, and Pretty Years, the follow-up to the well received 2014 album LOSE, is the Staten Island group's 4th LP. Bassist Matthew Whipple mentions Bruce Springsteen, '70s David Bowie, The Smiths, The Cure, and Neil Young as inspirations for the 10-tracker "not really for sound as much as for that dichotomy of bands who were entertainers still making, at times, weird dark music and writing songs that seem totally over-the-top by today's rock band standards." And that is exactly what the Shaolin outfit accomplishes on songs like "4th of July, Philadelphia (SANDY)," "Wish," "Dancing Days," "Have A Heart," "Shrine," as they are electrifying and colorful but also full of grief, anxiety, and littered with sentiments that stay true to the emo aspect of the band. Certainly one of the best efforts from Cymbals Eat Guitars, this is the transparent rose vinyl edition that comes with a bonus 7" transparent blue vinyl. 300 copies only, digital download included.

• transparent rose vinyl + transparent blue 7"
• limited to 300 copies
• digital download included
• printed inner sleeve
• music label: Sinderlyn 2016

reviewed by kanim 11/2016