The Tempest

posted in: Artist Features • Rock

The Arts & Crafts Movement describes its music as being noisy and ugly, tender and awkward. And that’s true, but it’s also searching, discontented, romantic ¦ and probably a million other things. The Philadelphia band is of the same ilk as Silversun Pickups”think of them as their tormented younger brothers. Their raucous post punk weaves from sinister to sensitive and back again. The wild rumpus begins with War Chords, where piercing guitars is answered by a counter offensive of rolling drums and bass. Singer James Alex’s reptilian voice is hard at times to decipher, but the message is clear: Watch your step. His warning carries over to the bracing Punks of Privilege. We are anarchists, turning chords and truth into heroic hymns, he sings, You’ve been warned. But don’t let that stop you.