Emotionalpunk.com
Media Review
Boy Sets Fire
The Misery Index: Notes From The Plague Years (CD)
Music Quality: 7.0
Production: 8.0
Originality: 6.0
Tracklisting
2. Requiem
3. Final Communique
4. The Misery Index
5. (10) And Counting
6. Falling Out Theme
7. Empire
8. So Long... And Thanks For The Crutches
9. With Cold Eyes
10. Deja Coup
11. Social Register Fanclub
12. Nostalgic For Guillotines
13. A Far Cry
The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years is the fourth full release from these hardcore veterans. Boy Sets Fire is a five piece band from Delaware that has existed for about 10 years and they are devoted to their religious beliefs as much as they are towards their political beliefs, both of which come out in their lyrics. This album is basically a continuation of previous releases. There is very little in the way of evolution on the band’s part and that can be good and bad. Some bands evolve to stay fresh, only to turn off their fans from what brought them their in the first place. But without evolution, there can only be so many songs written before they start to sound the same. BSF hasn’t hit this point yet as The Misery Index throws in a few new elements, not enough for an evolution, but enough to keep the listener coming back for more.
Probably the single thing that sticks out the most on this album is the vocals of singer Nathan Gray. His voice has a true quality in it that has the listener believing in the words that he is emitting and falling in love with the intensity of their deliverance. He can scream with the best of them, but he truly shines when he just plain sings. All instruments are on point without really taking over on any of the tracks and this really helps to showcase the singer’s voice. The majority of the tracks are very easy on the ears, but there are a few songs that attempt to absolutely destroy and incite strong feelings in the listener.
The one thing that will have fans doing a bit of a double-take in the incorporation of a horn section in a couple of the tracks. Both “Deja Coup” and “So Long… And Thanks for the Crutches” receive that extra pop, the latter is quite a different song altogether. It begins with a free flowing jazz intro that catches the listener off guard before it morphs into a heart-stomping BSF song only to change once again into a rap freestyle. One element they retain on this album is the use of spoken audio clips on a couple tracks. “Falling Out Theme” has a very ghostly chanting that goes well with the guitars and at the end of “A Far Cry” there is a war prayer being said that is quite horrific in its intent. There is a bonus track at the end of “A Far Cry” which is a slightly toned down version of “Still Waiting for the Punchline,” one of my all-time favorites off of 2001’s After the Eulogy. Fans of previous BSF albums will definitely enjoy this; the average listener may unfortunately pass it up with its lack of today’s trend towards synth-up the production.