Newcastle upstarts I Am The Agent have been on the local scene full time since 2008, building a strong east coast following based on their blistering live shows and DIY aesthetic. Staying true to their post harcore/emo background, Birth, Living and Conclusion is an emotive collection of songs, veering convincingly between darkly melancholic and passionately powerful.
One of the hallmarks of this record is the use of the classic quiet-loud-quiet song structure. It was pioneered almost 30 years ago by The Pixies and employed by just about every hard rock band from Nirvana to the Warped Tour crowd ever since. And while I Am The Agent share very little stylistically with these acts, they have developed a highly effective songwriting style based on this structure. The best example of this is ‘Pelican’ which floats along backed by soft distortion and hushed vocals before building to a cathartic crescendo similar to many Explosions in the Sky compositions.
Lead vocalist Michael Gale appears to take a lot of cues from the likes of Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Brand New’s Jesse Lacey. Like those vocalists, Gale is tremendous at stretching his vocals beyond breaking point, adding weight to the already pensive lyrics of standout tracks ‘Hands’ and “Drive’.
The aptly titled ‘Melodramatic Popular Song’ is the most developed song on the album. Like several other songs it builds progressively across three and a half minutes, however it never explodes, keeping the listener locked in but never providing any release. It’s a fine study in songwriting restraint.
Birth, Living and Conclusion does have some drawbacks however, and these, unfortunately, are a product of its creation. Although this is the second full-length album from the band, the majority of this album was lifted from a three EP set (Volumes I, II and III), released between 2009 and 2011. As a result the production and overall tone of the record varies from song to song, providing a slightly disjointed feeling. This is a shame because on their own the songs are particularly strong, and with continued development I Am The Agent has the potential to grow into a post hardcore band with the artistry to match their ambition.
Independent
7.5/10
Reviewer: Nick Mackay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkFXAqJ-jWU
You forget to mention how good looking they all are.
beautiful music.