‘…creative, invigorating, witty, and packed with an incredible amount of heart; it perfectly captures the sound of persisting through life at all costs…’
Based out of Quinte West, Ontario, Arm’s Length have been carving a popular reputation within the emo scene since 2018. The band released their debut LP, ‘Never Before Seen, Never Again Found’, in 2022, and have gone on to become a cult favourite band. This year sees the four-piece headline the incredible Excellency Music Festival, alongside a collection of fellow scene stars such as Ben Quad, Michael Cera Palin, The Casper Fight Scene, pulses., Bouquet, and Mud Whale.
Alongside that, last month saw the band release their sophomore record, ‘There’s a Whole World Out There’. Perhaps proving that not everything worth listening to needs to be revolutionary in nature, what the band have crafted here is undoubtedly an emo record, but perfectly blended with elements of post-hardcore, folk, and pop-punk to craft an album that feels familiar yet fresh.
Those aforementioned musical concepts are laid out directly in front of the listener from the very start of the record, with a perfectly crafted opening statement. ‘The World’ is a glittering, soaring opening number that perfectly sets the tone with rapturous intent. It progresses from serene ambience, through two-step rhythms, towards an explosive, guttural heaviness, as vocalist Allen Steinberg asks ‘Was I selfish for keeping you close?/When there’s a whole world out there/And you would never have known.’ There is a beauty and a bitterness present which rings true throughout the rest of the album’s entirety.
‘Fatal Flaw’ is a raw admittance that recovery will never feel enough, as Steinberg begs himself to ‘Know that your younger self would be so proud’, whilst admitting that every day lived continues to feel like torture. The folk elements that the band use across this record are always a delight, and that’s no different for this number, as it gallops forwards with a paradoxical joviality. ‘You Ominously End’ exists in a similar vein, with the lyricism grappling with a friend’s failed suicide attempt with a dark sense of humour that belies a real pain. The jangly folk tones, conjured up by banjos and acoustics, work perfectly alongside the punchy emo foundations, whilst the choruses are decorated with gloriously catchy and cathartic melodies.
‘The Weight’ is a gut-wrenching exploration of living with an eating disorder, set atop of an instrumental that ebbs and flows between buoyant groove and driving emotive weight. The percussion in particular is a stand out here, with Jeff Whyte providing a performance that perfectly understands what the rest of the track needs. ‘Attic’ is a cinematic slow burner that sings of refusing to deal with the ghosts in your closet, with a beautiful fluidity between moments of quiet contemplation and moments of impassioned desperation.
It is, however, the one-two closing punch of ‘Halley’ and ‘Morning Person’ that truly cements this record as one of the must-listen emo albums for this year. ‘Halley’ is simply a majestic emo cut, with glittering guitar passages dancing about a fantastically performed rhythmic backbone, whilst subtle moments of folk flair emboss the whole affair. ‘Morning Person’ fades in on the back of this number, with gentle strumming and pensive vocals. From here, this cinematic, progressive number evolves through punchy emo verses, walls of blastbeat rhythms, and string accented breakdowns, as Steinberg grapples with the irreversible damage that love can leave you with. The lyrics are truly phenomenal, with some standout lines in particular being ‘Had a soft spot for you, in a place I knew you’d check/Make sure that when you do your damage, it is permanent’, and the closing couplet ‘Said I’d die for you, and now I’m sure that I will/On any day I may pass, in any way I am killed’.
It is truly impressive how Arm’s Length have the capacity to write with both wry humour, and heartbreaking vulnerability, culminating in a record that perfectly captures the risks we face by choosing to live. In every aspect of life, from love to self-image, from friendship to family, there is a pain that seems inevitable, but also a joy that could be worth it all.
What Arm’s Length have created here feels like the sort of record that elevates a band from cult favourites to breakout stars; you would not be surprised to find your friends whom have no knowledge of emo listening to this record. ‘There’s a Whole World Out There’ is creative, invigorating, witty, and packed with an incredible amount of heart; it perfectly captures the sound of persisting through life at all costs, no matter how miserable it gets.
RATING: 82/100 – Very Good
For Fans Of: Bottom Bracket, Farseek, Charmer, Heart Attack Man, Casey
Physical copies are available to purchase here.
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