the gang goes hunting…
The Dear Hunter is a band most of us have heard of, but have never heard before. The band is always attached to major league festivals and touring ferociously, so you see the name a lot but you couldn’t a stranger anything about this band. So, the gang at The Singles Party, which includes some actual hardcore Dear Hunter fans, decided to give their new single ‘An Escape’ a listen.
Brent Johnson: The band name? Wince-inducing. The song? Short of spectacular. But it’s got a nice acoustic guitar-driven rhythm, a decent melody, and a swell set of chord changes. So, it’s 1-for-2 for this Providence, R.I., group. Verdict: Add to the playlist.
Jason Stives: It’s amazing to think that this is a band fronted by a former member of the Receiving End of Sirens, a band in a completely different world compared to that of The Dear Hunter. The differences are obvious since one is a post-hardcore group versus an indie rock band and the overall instrumentation in The Dear Hunter I feel has far more grandeur than the former. That being said I think “An Escape” is an excellent slice of indie rock glory that is both melancholy and jovial all in one package. The rising scale of the song’s overall sound coupled with a swelling harmony works very well. I only know so much about these guys but from what I gather this seems far more separate from their previous releases which all connected into one story. It’s very straight-laced and this feels like a solid track to boot. Verdict: Add to the Playlist
Nick Porcaro: Taken in comparison with Migrant’s spectacular lead off single “Whisper”— not to mention the awe-inspiring dedication and pitch-perfect execution seen on 2011’s The Color Spectrum — this track is unfortunately underwhelming. Singer/songwriter Casey Crescenzo starts at a yell and stays there for the whole song, with little tension or build-up to justify his impassioned delivery. Where past songs felt cathartic in their bombast, “An Escape” pretty much plateaus. Verdict: One and done
Lauren Stern: I definitely agree with Nick that “An Escape” is pretty underwhelming compared to the band’s first single “Whisper,” however, that doesn’t necessarily make this a bad single. Is the the dramatic flair that The Dear Hunter is best known for missing? Yes, but it doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s just not a good representation of the amazing theatrics that Casey Crecenzo is notorious for.
I must say though, in comparison to some of the tracks off of the band’s last album The Color Spectrum, both of the new singles have been absolutely phenomenal. I can’t wait to hear more from Migrant in a few weeks. Verdict: Add to Playlist
Kelly Gonsalves: As someone who has never listened to The Dear Hunter before, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this single. I always appreciate any artist who can scream without it sounding like static-y, whiny garbage. I’m also fond of how subtle the progression in this song is – you begin with a chill guitar track guiding a rather feel-good beat, but by the end of the song, you’re suddenly strung up and screaming about loss and escape (which I guess you should’ve predicted from the title, but that’s beside the point). Overall, a good track that just gets better with more listens. I would definitely add to playlist, as well as look into listening to more of the album this killer single came from. Verdict: Add to the Playlist.
Bill Bodkin: Color me impressed. I’ve never listened to The Dear Hunter previously, but the band’s name has been bandied around the festival circuit so often that I felt I finally needed to. I’m glad this was my introduction to the band. ‘An Escape’ has terrific vocals courtesy of former hardcore kid Casey Crescenzo — they’re soaring and melodic yet still have this sense of grittiness to it. Musically, the song reflects Crescenzo’s vocals — they’re tight, crisp and emotional yet still have this tough rock ‘n’ roll edge to it. And there’s guitar shredding here…yes, an actual solo, it made me very happy to hear this. Verdict: Add to the Playlist.
