Blindside -- The Black Rose EP

8/10

I like to refer to a feeling existent in some music as "after the party." Not "the after party," but something else entirely from my imagination. Essentially, the feeling conjures the atmosphere of two or three o'clock in the morning, long after the band have played their set, and the crowds have gone home. With almost all the lights off, and the moon high above, the band come back onstage and play a different set to an empty room. That is what I mean by "after the party." I don't really think anything about The Great Depression denotes "party," but The Black Rose is the set Blindside play after it, in the middle of the night, to an abandoned concert hall.
The slightly-electronically charged first four rock songs all fit this mold, as well as the dark, acoustic title-track that follows.
"The Way You Dance" is the best example of my thesis.

And here is "Black Rose" just because I'm nice, and also because it greatly proves my point, as well.

These songs fit together perfectly as a quick, complete experience, but Blindside also added three live songs as a bonus. Blindside is a band whose performances of songs get better with time (I've seen em four times, and each show was better than the last). It is obvious that these three Great Depression selections, recorded at Sweden's Hultsfred Festival, haven't been sitting in Blindside's arsenal for very long. While these songs are well-recorded (you can even hear the bass!) and full of energy, Blindside aren't quite yet there with them. They still make a fine bonus to the meat of the EP, though, so I won't knock the score down on their account. This is a fine effort.

Also, you can buy it straight from the band for only $4.99!

2007 Wasa Recordings
1. The Way You Dance Blindside 3:30
2. Slow Motion Blindside 3:59
3. Pretty Nights Blindside 3:00
4. The Color of My Eyes Blindside 3:29
5. Black Rose Blindside 5:09
6. My Alibi Blindside 5:34
7. Fell in Love with the Game Blindside 3:30
8. When I Remember Blindside 4:45