SPRING OFFENSIVE

Pull Us Apart is the first full length release from Oxford UK post rock five piece, Spring Offensive. Yes, "Spring Offensive" and in an age where all the good band names are supposed to be taken no less. I made it up that they were jesting at how vulgar nature can be during a particular season. . . though, they could be WW1 enthusiasts who engage in role play games in the park on weekends full stop w/ no joking or punning or multiple meanings whatsoever. Or maybe they're just really big into Wilfred Owen. Honestly, I have no clue but remain partial to my first guess. All that aside, Spring Offensive is: Lucas Whitworth on lead vocals, Matt Cooper on guitar and background vocals, Theo Whitworth on guitar and background vocals, Joe Charlett on bass and Pelham Groom on drums and background vocals.

The instrumentation on Pull Us Apart is remarkably eclectic and comparable to early Flaming Lips, Grandaddy and a bit of The Decemberists with all of the ticks and twitches of At The Drive In, yet with the sparsity of Okay. Lyrically, Pull Us Apart deals with loss, consumption, and obsession, utilizing detachment and absurdism as superpowers. The individualized narratives and layered sound makes it's presence known immediately with the sing songish paranoia of "Abacus Rex." Vocalist Lucas Whitworth matter of factly croons, "I swear they poison my meals" and goes on to lament the endless strings of numbers and unsolved math problems that are apparently in front of him. The next track, "Every Coin" is one of the more interesting and disturbing songs I've heard in quite some time. It begins w/ subtle, paced out drum beats extended by sets of hands clapping and the single notes that Spring Offensive seem to prefer. The early narration almost makes it sound as though "Every Coin" is about a robbery. Nope. Midway through we get this, "Take a drink it seems to help / The hundreds I've seen coughing up on their wealth / Get the first one down and the others will follow / As long as it takes every coin must be swallowed." Yes, it's about a person who was forced to eat the entire contents of their wallet. Absolutely wonderful. It definitely helps prepare the listener for "The Cable Routine", a track detailing the suicide ritual of a person who refers to them-self as "dearest me" before wrapping three feet of cable around their neck. I should reiterate "routine." The character seems comfortable enough and I'm sure more disturbing coping mechanisms for life do exist.

Pull Us Apart signs off with "The First Of Many Dreams About Monsters" which is a thirteen and a half minute track that takes the listener through the Kubler Ross Model of the five stages of grief wherein a typewriter lends in on percussion. I know, I know. It sounds pretentious, doesn't it? Well, that's indie rock for you. Everything, no matter how earnest or raw just comes across as pretentious. Another thing about indie rock, the musicians play to one of the toughest crowds around: arms crossed, heard/seen/read it all before. That said, Pull Us Apart is not pretentious in the least. I'd imagine they'll even manage to uncross a few arms and get some kids dancing. For more info and updates check here: http://springoffensive.tumblr.com/ and here: https://www.facebook.com/springoffensive?sk=info