Mansions
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Mansions

Seattle, Washington, United States | INDIE

Seattle, Washington, United States | INDIE
Band Alternative Pop

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"Mansions - New Best Friends Review"

Mansions - New Best Friends
Record Label: Doghouse Records
Release Date: March 3, 2009

The debut full length from Mansions, New Best Friends, produced by the legendary Mike Sapone, begins with an eerie slur of words and ambiance that almost seems to be channeling the classic opener "Tautou" by Brand New. With whisper vocals and a haunting buzz, the album segues into "Talk Talk Talk," and Christopher Browder weaves his words over a pounding drum beat, leading to the crashing, feisty chorus. Browder constructs a perfectly crafted balance of catchy hooks and clever lines, all the while maintaining an addictive, yet dark, borderline angry attitude. This mood permeates from here on throughout the rest of the album.

The undeniably rhythmic song "Por Favor Is Spanish" is a tale of infidelity involving a girl who makes terrible decisions and a charming Australian boy who is more than glad to assist. The track teases with a slow guitar picking introduction while seemingly innocent beats clatter in the background, suddenly exploding into a crunching cacophony of drums and guitar. Alternating between head bopping verses and a heavy chorus, all the while spewing scathing lyrics, this track is one of the numerous gems on the album.

"Fuck you and your goddamn scene," Browder croons on "The Worst Part," a harsh critique of the music scene, or what's left of it. Evolving from an almost radio friendly pop sound, the track descends into an angry bridge, "I don't wanna be you/I don't wanna be you/anymore, anymore" being yelled across screaming guitars.

New Best Friends is a solid, honest album which at times feels like it borrows heavily from many other well known artists in the genre, but all the while holding its own. A finely crafted record with songs of regret, anger, and lost love, Mansions has created a powerful collection with plenty of variety. There are songs that sound as if they could be heard on the radio, and then there are tracks that will probably serve as the soundtrack to a devastating breakup.

There are hints of so many different artists on this release. If you threw Brand New and Manchester Orchestra into a blender, added a scoop of Say Anything, a pinch of Bright Eyes, a shot of The Spill Canvas, and then had Lydia flip the switch, this very well could be the end result.

This is an emotional album that has an almost "coming of age" feeling to it, sure to conjure up memories and tug on the heart strings. Each song is absolutely identifiable, yet avoids any risk of sounding trite or repetitive. No glitz, no glamor, no gloss; just song after song bursting at the seams with passion and sincerity, from an artist doing what he loves dearly.

And that is what music is all about. - Absolutepunk.net


Discography

Mansions EP- 6/08 Doghouse Records
New Best Friends- 3/09 Doghouse Records
Best of the Bees- 1/10 Doghouse Records
Dig Up the Dead, 3/11 Burning House Records

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Bio

Mansions is a rock band based out of Louisville, KY. On record it consists solely of Christopher Browder, but live he is joined by friends and strangers. Mansions plays indie-pop-rock that sounds like a 25 year-old hooked on 90's emo and alternative playing anxious and fuzzed out rock music with emotion instead of riffs.

A full-length album entitled New Best Friends was recorded with producer Mike Sapone (Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Straylight Run) and released in March of 2009 on Doghouse Records. Seven EPs of music self-recorded by Browder after the New Best Friends sessions were released in the fall of 2008 in various forms such as cassette, minidisc, and digital download. These EPs were also included on a bonus disc that accompanied the physical release of New Best Friends.

In the spring of 2010, Mansions and Doghouse Records mutually decided to part ways, leaving the band with the freedom to make a new album completely on their own terms. Two weeks of tracking at Browder's parents' house somehow led to 5 months of recording in various homes and apartments throughout the southeast, with Browder being joined by past touring members on some tracks but completing the lion's share of the recording alone. The result is Dig Up The Dead, an album about nostalgia for the way you thought things were going to be.