I’ve neglected the blog a bit. Sorry about that. I had hoped to write a little bit more, but I can’t seem to get the words out right. Maybe I’m out of practice or creatively tapped out. I’ll try to revisit this in the summertime when I’m less tired.
This week’s post is going to be a joint effort – my good friend Connor Snyder bought the deluxe version of the album I’m going to be talking about, so the pictures are his and the words are mine. You can find his blog here.
I met La Dispute in my last year of high school. I hated them. They were kind of whiny, kind of emo and “weak,” and I was a young and invincible fool who listened exclusively to misogynistic rap music and drank light beer and wore flashy clothing. I would make fun of the vocals in the car at Polo Park mall’s parking lot and wonder what the hell my friends were into.
I was an idiot. Generally, people look back on high school and regret themselves almost to a fault, but my friends had the right idea. I’ve grown up alongside them, and alongside La Dispute, in a way.
Just as I have grown and my friends have grown from reckless, stupid kids into (slightly) calmer and (marginally) smarter young adults, La Dispute has grown. Each album La Dispute releases seems to show a difference, an increased maturity. I was kind of right with my presumption – my prejudgment of La Dispute’s debut album was sort of accurate. Vocalist Jordan Dreyer’s uncontrolled and wobbly voice was off-putting, the lyrics were emotional to the point of cheese, and the album itself was long and drawn out. Given just that one album, I don’t think I’d still like La Dispute.
All these things are grandiose in their emotional-ness, but in a strong display of their maturity as a band LD manages to portray them artfully, subtly, and humbly.
Rooms of the House also hosts the two quietest and most melodic pieces La Dispute has ever produced. Woman (In Mirror) and Woman (Reading) are poignant recollections of love not lost but certainly gone. “All the motions of ordinary love,” Dreyer repeats, remembering little things, like how “there’s a dinner – Thanksgiving, dress up nice, make a dish to bring.”
I’ve grown into an adult, more humble, more accepting of the fact that less really is more. You don’t need to scream for impact.This band has grown just as I have, and I’ve watched it grow like I’ve watched the rest of my friends grow. It’s like the band is a friend of mine, for lack of better metaphor. The band is me by association.
Reblogged this on collinders.