Grayscale is one of those new wave Emo bands that you probably haven’t heard of or thought to give them much attention unless you have a friend who is a massive emo hipster that cruises Tumblr all the time. Their sound is a pleasant blend between old and new emo. At times you will find yourself questioning what particular genre you are listening and then Grayscale brings it around full scale with some screams or pop-punk influence reminding you of where they came from.
What We’re Missing is a beautiful cohesive album that has worked its way into my heart on these cold winter days. Each track has a groove that makes your head nod and foot tap. All the while the lyrics tear your heart apart and make it next to impossible to not relate to them. What We’re Missing opens with a short intro to the album letting you know that this is another emo album about a break up that has left the lead singer distraught and lost. After that you take a brisk trot through two songs of remembrance and moving on about being in a living room listening to records and sleeping with the girl you miss. These themes have been done time and time again by bands in every single genre, however Grayscale some how manages to hold your attention and get you toe tapping from the very beginning of “Palette” all the way through “Midwest”. After this you must suffer through two more songs that seem to just be filler songs so that you can get to the real meat of the album. “Catholic”, “Bloom”, and “Irish Curtains” are three fresh breaths in a melancholy sea that is modern emo. In this scene it is so easy to get lost amongst the numerous bands with long drawn out names. But these three songs grab you and tell you that you are going to groove with them, scream the lyrics back at the singer and finger point angrily. The lyrics are beautifully composed, gut wrenching, and honest.
Musically, these three tracks are intricate masterpieces that make this album worth listening to. But alas there are six other tracks on this album; six of which I wish were more diverse and held my attention a little better. With that I must give Grayscale a 3.5/5 simply because as a full length release I had high hopes for Grayscale’s What We’re Missing. However, it seemed like a huge step back for a band that has been developing and maturing for three years since their last full length Leaving (which is honestly a better more compelling album).
Recommended Tracks: “Palette”, “Bloom”, “Catholic”
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
