Friday 24 January 2020

SECOND GUESSING

GenresPunk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists?.
CountryUtrecht NETHERLANDS
Years Active2013-present
Song: "Villa dall'Ava"
Album: "Tijd Verdringt"
Year: 2019
For fans ofFrameworks, Bright Calm Blue, Ecorche, Caravels, Boneflower, Pianos Become The Teeth, Suis La Lune, Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, To Be Gentle, Aviator, La Dispute, Congratulations and The Reptilian.
Label(s): Smithsfoodgroup DIY / Mosh Potatoes
This post's artist is from the January 2020 Mix. This is track #3.
You can download: the January 2020 Mix#1 right here or get the new February 2020 Mix#2 here.

I first heard about SECOND GUESSING when I was on tour with Crowning and Swallows Nest. Dave Cullen and I were perusing records in a distro when he started flipping out that he found some copies and told me to check it out. We grabbed a few for the Zegema Beach distro without me even hearing it because he was so stoked. And with just reason, 'Tijd Verdringt' is fucking awesome.

But let's start with their 2014 debut 'Cycles of Disappointment', which sounds like it might be a collection of four digital songs instead of an EP, but I'm not sure. "Bark From the Trees" is a good, groovy opener that makes a snappy exit at 2:05 to make way for "Distraction/Frustration", my personal favourite that hits equal parts Frameworks and Suis La Lune with both driving and heavenly sections. "Hounds" is a trippy, uncomfortable shoegaze/post-hardcore tune and closer "The Wind Picked Up" is led by a badass bass riff, swirling guitars, multiple vocalists and a gorgeous midsection.

I don't know what happened in those 5 years, but luckily they popped back up with an even better EP effort with the silkscreened b-side 12" 'Tijd Verdringt'. It begins with the enthralling "Villa dall'Ava" which, after a brief/quiet intro, goes full-on at double the speed of any song from their previous EP. The guitars sound massive and when mixed with the throat-shredding and cathartic screams from the vocalist. There's a shift at around 1:36 that reminds me a lot of Bright Calm Blue and early Frameworks, making it a dancey, groovy transition that brings us to the climax after the two-minute mark. "De Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie" is a quick banger, "Thorn" is a lengthier jam rooted in the post-hardcore, "Leo Brouwer" is up there with the opener as their best/most versatile work (that swaying groove at 2:19 fucking rules) and finale "Arvo Pärt" is the band's longest and perhaps most epic jam.

Hopefully we don't have to wait five years to hear what's next, cuz this band is on the up and up.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - Cycles of Disappointment cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

2019 - Tijd Verdringt (stream/donate/download here) [buy from ZBR distro]


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(2019) SECOND GUESSING - "Leo Brouwer" (from 'Tijd Verdringt')

(2019) SECOND GUESSING - "Villa dall'Ava" (from 'Tijd Verdringt')

(2019) SECOND GUESSING - "Thorn" (from 'Tijd Verdringt')

(2014) SECOND GUESSING - "The Wind Picked Up" (from 'Cycles of Disappointment')

(2014) SECOND GUESSING - "Distraction/Frustration" (from 'Cycles of Disappointment')

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SECOND GUESSING additional links
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1 comment:

  1. Rutger their singer use to be in I am sorry (for the decline of civilisation) : https://iamsorryftdoc.bandcamp.com/

    ReplyDelete