The Graduate - Horror Show EP

“God damn it’s great to be alive!” Springfield, Illinois has brought us a very catchy band called The Graduate. A preliminary “taster and teaser” for their album Anhedonia, Horror Show has all the formulas to get some hype out of the underground of catchy pop-punk and rock fans out there. Apparently the band has been causing a lot of commotion among the CMJ community out there, and finally I understand why.

Horror Show is a valiant effort by members Corey Warning, Matt Kennedy, Max Sauer, Tim Moore, and Jared Wuestenberg to deliver fetching melodies and emotions through six distinct songs. Guitar work similar to Don’t Look Down and Novice captivate the introduction to “Sit & Sink.” Vocals transform from a soft melody like So They Say to a more raspy, almost Samiam feel at times. The Graduate seems particularly fond of creating extremely catchy and memorable endings to their songs, from the chant-along in “Sit & Sink” to the abrupt end to “Justified” that immediately picks up momentum again in “This Is To Fire!!”

“Ride It Out” carries a particular special sound to it that really captivates all that The Graduate is to me. From a stellar introduction that reminds me of Brand New’s Deja Entendu to a beautiful chorus that reminds me of Third Eye Blind, something worked extremely well when The Graduate put this song together. The track feels more complex than others on the CD, and at the same time, vocals are simple enough to have anyone sing along.

The lyrical content of The Graduate doesn’t feel extremely dense or even much of metaphorical and poetic substance. It feels more like the straight-forward rock/pop-punk style like writing to your girlfriend as she’s leaving you. Hey, it may be a cliche area of lyrical influence, but The Graduate does it well. “I’m coming back to see if there’s something left; I can’t forget. I’ve gotta have you one more time. Don’t fall asleep too fast, or we’ll never get the chance.” - “Justified”

I found the album art quite clever and cute, but it could very well change between this promotional copy and the final retail version that comes out. The underwater pirate theme seems fun, although I’m not sure if there’s any connection at all with the band. I noticed their merch and such had the same sort of designs. Even more impressive was the CD graphic design on the actual CD. I just love how the colors of the skeleton boxes on the bottom are emphasized, and whoever did this should pat himself on the back.

The album closes off with “The Formula,” a song that reminds me very much of a Just Surrender song mixed with Don’t Look Down and Mae. Guitar lines remind me so much of “Painless” by Mae, and the vocal intensity of the song follows very much along the lines of the more emotional work by Just Surrender that gives vibrancy and intensity to their music. This song is another gem on the album, and the ending feels just right to close off the EP.

In the near future, The Graduate plans to go out with Waking Ashland, The Fold, and Jonezetta for a small tour before heading out with The Fold and Sound The Alarm for a few dates. Long term plans look like preparation for their full-length. Do I like their sampling EP? Sure, it is pretty catchy, energetic, and everything you can expect from a catchy rock band with indie and pop-punk influences. Will this EP hype up their upcoming full-length like some bands like Senses Fail and Scary Kids Scaring Kids did? I hope so but doubt it will occur unless the band raises a lot of eyebrows with their live show and gain credibility through EP sales and shows. I’ll be checking them out next month so I can give a definitive report on their live show then. Until then, definitely check out The Graduate. If anything, you’ll really like “Sit & Sink” or “Ride It Out.”

TRACK LIST:

01. Sit & Sink
02. Confidence Is Everything
03. Ride It Out
04. Justified
05. This Is To Fire!!
06. The Formula

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