“A continuity error is a lapse in the self-consistency of the scene or story being portrayed.” - Oxford University.
When I first gave Life In Idle’s new album Continuity Error(s) a full listen, I immediately noticed a few things. Firstly, this band can REALLY write. I mean these songs are not straightforward or cookie cutter at all, as many are in the modern age of focus-grouped, perfectly-produced records. The second was how incredibly raw the sound was; you really feel the aura of pain and hopelessness that only this kind of emo can provide.
Dayton, Ohio’s Life In Idle have been around since 2011, which was in fact 12 years ago. If they’ve been consistently playing together for all that time, then it makes sense that the songs are as meticulously constructed as they are. Their first album “Out To Get Me” had a lot more of a bouncy easycore vibe, with rough production befitting of a DIY punk release. Still, the band’s knack for songs and melodies was there, just waiting to be utilised on an album suitable for the band’s obvious talent. Now, that time has arrived and I think it’s fair to say that Continuity Error(s) marks a true leap forward in quality and consistency for the band. The majority of the rough creases have been ironed out, leaving the songs stripped of extraneous fat and leaving only the raw nerves of a band hungry to prove themselves. At 9 songs it’s a short release by album standards, but not a moment is wasted as the songs speed by with weaving arrangements and complex structures. The theme for this album seems (to me) to be confusion.
A continuity error in the traditional sense are best applied to the world of film; you can go on YouTube and look up “top 10 movie mistakes” and be inundated with disappearing props, mismatched costumes and dodgy makeup. These mistakes can either leave the viewer feeling either mirth for discovering these tiny cracks in the mask, or a vague sadness at having seen behind the curtain and revealing that the makers are indeed human as well, capable of error like anyone else. Life In Idle tap into both these emotions, as any good emo release does. Track 6, “Ghosty”, contains the line “You said you need me / but then you left me anyway”. The lyricist is feeling the confusion of a missing part of the movie scene happening in their heads, except the missing link isn’t a prop - it’s a person. From a musical perspective, Life In Idle have really stepped it up.
The guitars have an especially melancholy energy to them, losing none of the power-chord exuberance of punk rock but containing something else that adds an added layer of depth absent from many other newer punk releases. Maybe it’s the guitar, maybe it’s the amp. More likely it’s the player releasing all of their emotion into their performance, masterfully captured by Crime In Stereo’s Gary Cioni who produced the record. Standout tracks include “Catch 22” which received a well-made music video released not too long ago, and the aforementioned “Ghosty” which is perhaps the most emblematic of the entire album as a collective piece of art. Realistically, you can’t go too far wrong with any of these songs as they all blend nicely with one another and really shine when listened to together in full. Life In Idle should be massively proud of what they’ve achieved on this album, and as a benchmark for further records it’s going to be hard to beat. Catch them this September at Ohio Is For Lovers festival alongside Jimmy Eat World, Hawthorne Heights, Saosin, The Starting Line and many others.
Words by Oscar Manners.
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