Broadway – Kingdoms

Typically bands with a hardcore-screamo sound don’t last long in the 6 disc changer in my car.  They usually just get the rough 30 second play and then back into the case it came in.  Then on a day where it seemed to just rain and rain, as it did through the entire month of June on the east coast  a band called “Broadway” popped into my mailbox.   So what happend with a disc that is supposed to have a little bit of hardcore, a little bit of screamo, and a little bit of straight rock ?  If you guessed give it the 30 second spin your dead wrong.  The new album “Kingdoms” from Broadway totally rocked my rockford fosgate sound system, as it was a rainy day there was no need to turn the volume down or roll up the windows.  Even if it was a sunny day and I was driving around in a convertable, I seriously doubt there would be any complaints by the cars next to me.   Broadway has packed a powerful punch in this intense, insane, 12 track album.  

Now one could say hardcore-screamo music is intended for those dark gloomy days, however that’s not the reason I decided to stick with it.   There is a big difference  between Broadway’s Kingdom and any other screamo-hardcore albums out there….That difference would be that its actually good.    As the rain started to pour and pour down onto my car I gradually started to turn the dial up on the volume.  Eventually  the rain let up, the volume still at level 80 where I had turned it up to.   The band seems to bring a little grace into each song, they don’t pound you with their screamo lyrics or with there fast guitar shredding.   They allow each song to breathe, and to let the listener grasp what they are listening to.

As for my rainy day and drive home from work, I don’t think I could have asked for a better album to listen to.   Not each track contains the hardcore-screamo approach, the band stuck to its pop-rock sound and only bursted into its screamo style when needed.  Broadway still has some roads to past to perfect their sound, but if they can turn this anti hardcore-screamo guys head, then they definately are onto something.

1. Intro (-)
2. Redeeming A Monster (B+)
3. Last Saturday (B+)
4. Meg Ryan Would Play You In The Movie (B+)
5. Don’t Jump The Shark Before You Save The Whale (B-)
6. We Are Paramount (C+)
7. Interlude (-)
8. Gotta Love That Southern Charm (B)
9. You Bring The Thunder, I’ll Bring The Lightening (B)
10. Awol (B)
11. Same Thing We Do Everyday Pinky (B+)
12. Prom Queen Has No Friends (A-)