Well, the apocalypse is here. Some of you may remember that, a few months ago, I did a post discussing the upcoming release of the first EP from Their/They‰’re/There, the three-piece collaboration from Evan Weiss (Into It. Over It), Mike Kinsella (Cap‰’n Jazz, American Football, Owen) and Matthew Frank (Loose Lips Sink Ships). Well, this Record Store Day I picked up said release, and it‰’s time for a full-fledged review.

T/T/T is a six-song 45 RPM 12‰” record filling out at about 19 minutes total. Evan does vocals and bass, Matt does guitar, and Mike rocks the drums just like the old Cap‰’n Jazz and Owls days. I saw an interview with Evan about the band a week or so ago and he shed a lot of light on the trio’s dynamic. In all reality, it‰’s not any sort of earth-shattering, monumental supergroup. It’s just three great musicians who decided to work together and have a good time. My expectations for the album were incredibly high, but it doesn‰’t particularly drop jaws. Instead, the only word I can really use to best describe the album is…flawless.

The chemistry between these guys is untouchable. Matt Frank, who wrote most of the songs (according to Evan) brings to the table what is probably the most abundant sound on the record: a sort of math/indie rock vibe not unlike that of a band such as This Town Needs Guns. But where bands like TTNG fall short in energy, Mike Kinsella comes to the rescue for T/T/T. He is on top of his game with drumming and constantly keeps the songs driving and exciting. So together, these two already create what could have, by itself, been an incredibly top-notch math-rock duo, but then we throw in Evan Weiss. Evan is the most dynamic member for me. I‰’ve never been a huge fan of his voice (not that it isn‰’t good, just not my normal cup of tea) but his lyricism and delivery bring a definite emo vibe into the songs that make them much catchier and deeper. Then there‰’s his bass playing. I never knew Evan could rock the bass like that. It‰’s very possible this is my favorite element on the album. In the first track, Evan rocks a funky tune while Matt compliments with harmonic guitar hits and Mike beats his way through the times. All together, they all catch up on where any of the other members might leave off and I can‰’t find a single criticism for their work.

Six tracks seem actually perfect for these guys. They break through on the first two with catchy rhythms and driving beats, and continue to rock this dynamic throughout until the last two songs. This isn‰’t to say it ever gets boring, though. The third and fourth songs introduce a little more of the rock element of things, while the last two bring a wonderful diversity of acoustic and crescendo indie rock. Over my first couple listens, I didn‰’t have my jaw drop or anything, but I kept coming back, and I continue coming back. If this album were coming out some years ago, it‰’d be more than a classic by now. I don‰’t know if we‰’ll hear much more from these three together, but I‰’m so happy to have this release. It‰’s catchy, complex, passionate, well-written, well-constructed and I can see it making its way onto my list of top mathy emo releases. A definite recommendation for all.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Favorite Tracks: “Their/They‰’re/Therapy,” “Apocalypse (Not Right) Now,” “End And End”
Least Favorite Tracks: “Fit Your Life Into A Grid”
RIYL: Into It. Over It., American Football, This Town Needs Guns, Algernon Cadwallader