Beloved (US) The Running EP
Solid State Records TND97265 2004
By Jason Jordan
Its fascinating to think about where a bands material rests. Most songs, Ill venture to say, do make it to the listeners ears, whereas few sit patiently in a vault until theyre released later on a B-sides record, repackaged as a new album, or are thrust onto a huge, retrospective compilation. Along the same lines, The Running EP was originally recorded way back in January of 2001, and served as a demo. Three years later, Solid State Records decided to tinker with it and regurgitate it as a lengthy teaser. Though it cant compete with the likes of Failure On, Beloved (US)s first iteration is a mildly impressive, thirty-minute experimentation.
Even though songs such as Kiss It Goodbye and The Blue Period are a tad formulaic, theyre still good romps. The clean vox are too pubescent for my liking; it turns out that the vocalist would improve significantly by the time Failure On hit shelves. The screams are done well, and Beloved (US)s music can definitely be shoved into the screamo category, which directly complements artists like Underoath, Dead Poetic, and uncountable others. Going Through the Motions is a nice composition as we get a clean sound that conveys more adeptness than youd think a young band could possess. Mentioned earlier, though, is the observation that the non-gruff vocals need work. Thankfully, Moore (guitar, vocals) would mature splendidly by the time the limelight shone. Before There Was You, There Was Everything, The Aftermath, and the closer Into Your Arms are all likeable opuses, and The Running EP although not essential is heartwarming as a whole.
I like this band and their heartfelt applications. Unfortunately, Beloved (US) broke up recently after crafting only two records. Its too bad, because Failure On showed an enormous amount of progression from The Running EP, and Im confident that the third outing wouldve transcended both aforementioned releases.
7.5/10
Official Beloved (US) website
Official Solid State Records website
Solid State Records TND97265 2004
By Jason Jordan
Its fascinating to think about where a bands material rests. Most songs, Ill venture to say, do make it to the listeners ears, whereas few sit patiently in a vault until theyre released later on a B-sides record, repackaged as a new album, or are thrust onto a huge, retrospective compilation. Along the same lines, The Running EP was originally recorded way back in January of 2001, and served as a demo. Three years later, Solid State Records decided to tinker with it and regurgitate it as a lengthy teaser. Though it cant compete with the likes of Failure On, Beloved (US)s first iteration is a mildly impressive, thirty-minute experimentation.
Even though songs such as Kiss It Goodbye and The Blue Period are a tad formulaic, theyre still good romps. The clean vox are too pubescent for my liking; it turns out that the vocalist would improve significantly by the time Failure On hit shelves. The screams are done well, and Beloved (US)s music can definitely be shoved into the screamo category, which directly complements artists like Underoath, Dead Poetic, and uncountable others. Going Through the Motions is a nice composition as we get a clean sound that conveys more adeptness than youd think a young band could possess. Mentioned earlier, though, is the observation that the non-gruff vocals need work. Thankfully, Moore (guitar, vocals) would mature splendidly by the time the limelight shone. Before There Was You, There Was Everything, The Aftermath, and the closer Into Your Arms are all likeable opuses, and The Running EP although not essential is heartwarming as a whole.
I like this band and their heartfelt applications. Unfortunately, Beloved (US) broke up recently after crafting only two records. Its too bad, because Failure On showed an enormous amount of progression from The Running EP, and Im confident that the third outing wouldve transcended both aforementioned releases.
7.5/10
Official Beloved (US) website
Official Solid State Records website
