Band: LA DISPUTE
Genres: Rock / Emo / Post-Hardcore / Punk / Screamo
Country: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Years Active: 2004-present
Song: "Such Small Hands"
Album: "Somewhere at the Bottom of The River Between Vega & Altair"
Year: 2008
For fans of: Saetia, Touche Amore, Manchester Orchestra, This Day Forward, The Paper Chase, Caravels, Gifts From Enola, and Off Minor.
LA DISPUTE are pretty popular now, so I don't feel the need to write another dripping review. If you ask me, they were born from the sounds of Saetia and Thrice. LA DISPUTE was great for me at first, but they simply didn't have the staying power that other screamo/post-hardcore bands had - as the singer's voice is good and all, but I can't deal with it for extended periods. Listen to the vocals in The Paper Chase for a comparison to this wailing/rambling/talking style of vocals. To listen to 2 LD albums in a row is trying, but give me a few songs and I'll be all over that shit.. All that being said, they are VERY talented musicians and have written some amazing songs. Case in point - this:
Fantastic lyrics. Great build-up. Catchy as hell. I feel like this is a prime example of how you can mix the best of neo-screamo with actual indie/jazzy screamo. This is from their best album, 'Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair', which jumps into track 2, "New Storms for Older Lovers", that hones in on the hardcore/screamo aspect of the band - and basically gives you the entire spectrum of the LA DISPUTE sound in a total of 5 minutes.
Speaking of the LA DISPUTE sound, it has changed a wee bit over the better part of the last decade. 2006 had the band performing post-hardcore punk rock with a lot of aggressive vocals and sounds a bit like later This Day Forward meets early Thrice and In Pieces (I doubt anyone knows this band). 2008-2010 is the band's transition phase from hardcore to a band experimenting with subdued aggression and songs that are crafted as stories. (see "Such Small Hands" and "Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again") Their newest album further trims down excess heaviness (see "Safer in the Forest - Love Song for Poor Michigan"), builds a third layer on the Saetia-and-Off Minor-styled screamo instrumentals (chilled-out, jazzy) and is literally a story in musical form.
LA DISPUTE will provide an interesting listen, but you may find yourself getting drowsy when taken in large doses. If so, take a Saetia and Off Minor and call me in the morning.
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DISCOGRAPHY
2006 - Vancouver cd/12"LP
2008 - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair cd/2x12"
2008 - Untitled 7" (if anyone has this, post it so we can all enjoy this rare release!)
2008 - Here, Hear II 7" (if anyone has this, post it so we can all enjoy this rare release!)
2010 - Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World: Touche Amore split 7"
2011 - Wildlife cd/2x12"
2011 - Koji split 12"ep
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These are listed chronologically, so remember, the first link is the band's OLDER MATERIAL!!!
youtube )))))embedded audio((((( links
(2006) LA DISPUTE - "Fairmont" (from 'Vancouver' cd)
(2008) LA DISPUTE - "Bury Your Flame" (from 'Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair' cd)
(2010) LA DISPUTE - "How I Feel" (from 'Touche Amore split' 7")
(2011) LA DISPUTE - "Safer in the Forest - Love Song for Poor Michigan" (from 'Wildlife' cd)
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