When Modern Baseball formed in 2011, they took it upon themselves to revive the nineties emo genre with a flair. This of course meant adhering to the style of 90’s emo, and this means guitar tones that are so raw that they are liable for investigation by the Food Standards Agency, drums that were probably recorded in a garage on an old Nokia, and a vocalist who has parents that just don’t understand him, dude. Finally, record a music video of some guy on a swing in a sleepy American suburb and you’re all set. This lends itself to the endearment of the genre, and this EP captures it perfectly. 

The problem with adhering so closely to a genre is that there’s very little room for progression as the artist releases more material. If they mix in too much material from other genres they will inevitably start to drift away from the sound that they’re nestled in. This does mean that things will get a little stale after a while, and if there’s one problem I have with Modern Baseball, that is it. Lazy, whiny, overlaid vocals and the storytelling structure of the tracks is hardly accessible. If you’re unsure, it’s either going to bring you in or turn you right away fairly fast, because there’s an awful lot of it. Obviously, if it does appeal to you, you’re going to have a great time listening to these guys, and I’ll get to why soon.

But, musically speaking, it’s pretty good stuff. It’s a bit less dreamy than their earlier material and is really edging close to punk with that snare pounding away and the prominently distorted bass. ‘Alpha Kappy Fall of Troy‘, the second track on the EP, is a perfect example of this. The intro sounds like something ‘The Cure‘ would have written. The vocals of Brendan Lukens have become more melodic too; listen to ‘…And Beyond‘ to see what I mean. I particularly love the recording mistake at the start of that track. Where most bands would have cut for a second take, they carry on. It gives the track so much character and I really appreciate that, because character is the most important aspect of ‘Modern Baseball‘ and the genre as a whole. 

Each track reminds you of a character. We’ve all got people who have affected us, for good, bad or both, and Modern Baseball absolutely nail exactly what it feels like, whatever ‘it‘ may be for you, and this is why they are important. Listening to certain songs makes you feel almost like the song was written FOR you by people who’ve felt exactly the same thing, and if you do resort to music for help, this is crucial stuff. 

If you don’t feel much of a connect with Modern Baseball, to be honest, it’s going to be a lot harder to like them. Maybe they click with you instantly. Maybe you have to make an effort before you get it (or they ‘get’ you). Or maybe they do nothing for you at all. How good they are depends heavily on what they make you feel. This is where ‘The Perfect Cast‘ stands out, because it’s immediately more likeable as a piece of music than their earlier albums ‘You’re Gonna Miss It All‘ and ‘Sports‘. 

In summary, many people might struggle to really get Modern Baseball, but if you do, they are absolutely essential for you and I recommend them highly if you’re sore over a relationship or life in general. ‘The Perfect Cast‘ is a bit of a refreshing release in this respect as the EP is more accessible, and paves the way for their new album next year. If they continue in the direction that this EP implies, it’s set to be good stuff.

-Ed