Review: En Garde - Debts

Label: Count your Lucky Stars

The songs on last years' "Debtors"-EP were roughly 10 years old. Therefor I wasn't sure if EN GARDE really is a thing or if it would be file under "one-off". Luckily Count your Lucky Stars reported a few weeks ago, that they would release their first Full Length. But... guess what, this new collection of songs is also a decade old. 

To keep it short and simple: If you liked the EP you will probably like this new LP. Personally EN GARDE won me over with their passion, and their energy, their playfulness and Ross' lovely singing. What the duo lacks in manpower, it compensates with tight song structures and intensity. In essence it's a blend of Math-Rock, Emo & Post-Hardcore. I'd love to call this "Mathmo" but I guess I'm sick of corny, new categories for music. The core aspect of their music is the clash of guitar noodling and complex rhythms on one hand and some hooks and melodies on the other hand. What made "Debtors" so awesome was the fact, that the duo didn't get lost in their own noodling. Most of the time the songs stayed fast and "punk-y", and that's what I still love about them. 

Now "Debts" is no revolution in EN GARDE's cosmos, but it feels kinda different. It seems more ambitious and even more challenging than before. In the middle of the record they loose me quite a bit due to the complicated song progressions. That's not to say that there are no cool moments in this phase of the record, but personally I could've gone with a bit more straight and/or reduced stuff. The duo gets so touching in those moments, and despite all, you still get enough of those on "Debts". EN GARDE ultimately find their way back to gorgeousness with the last two tracks "Friend Fiction" & "The Bottom of our Lives". The beginning of the album strikes high notes too, with "A Remorse of Course" as my highlight. 

What holds "Debts" back from getting on the level of "Debtors" is only just the fact that it's twice as long and therefor feels kinda samey at times. In the end it's more of the tight, energetic, and fresh sounding tunes that these gentlemen already delivered. Here's to hoping that they're finally out of their 10 year old debts and ready to invest in something new...

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