Closer Still

One of this year's most anticipated and celebrated releases is the debut LP album from Change, a straight edge band from Seattle featuring a couple of members of Champion. 'Closer Still' was released in September on React! Records and the first press sold out pretty damn quick. Given that the last couple of React! releases were pressed on the Euro vinyl that I hate so much, it actually put me off ordering one right away. The most limited colour, clear pink, sold out in one day, so when I finally got around to placing an order a couple of days later, I was left with a choice of either a purple copy (out of 300) or the Revelation exclusive yellow vinyl (out of 200). And given there was something else that I wanted from Rev, it seemed like an easy choice.

Of course, when people started to receive their records and post pictures, it became apparent that I had made the wrong choice. I could see immediately that this record was pressed on finest quality US vinyl, and the colours that I didn't order of course ended up looking way nicer than the one I chose. Ah well.

The purple vinyl especially looked so rad that I was kicking myself for not ordering one when I had the chance. I tried to track one down to no avail, as it was sold out everywhere. But then last week, two days after the second press was put up for order, a UK distro that I use sometimes received a couple of copies, so I grabbed one quicksmart. I guess the slow postal system played to my advantage for once.

Aesthetically this record is rad. The cover looks great, as do the vinyl colours. It's definitely had a lot of thought gone into the layout, and it shows. As I've always said, the look of a record is every bit as important as the sounds, because it is the cover that draws people in.

The only thing I feel slightly confused about is whether this is a permanent new band, or whether this record is just a one off project to pay tribute to Uniform Choice. I mean, clearly this LP is heavily inspired by Uniform Choice. The tree graphic and the band logo from the front cover of this record is a tribute to an old UC shirt graphic. I found a version of it on the internet so you can see for yourself:

In keeping with the UC references, the record labels are also clearly a nod (rip off) of the labels on the 'Screaming For Change' LP. And then there's a spoken poem at the end of the record, which at first seemed kinda corny but on balance I now think I am ok with.

Musically this band reminds me of several other bands all at once without really reminding me of any one in particular. Having a couple of members of Champion, it does remind me of Champion in places, but it's a lot more varied. No doubt time will tell whether this band will hang around and do more, but even if they do just leave it here I actually think that there would be nothing wrong with that. This is a solid hardcore record from a modern straight edge band and no doubt one of the better releases of the year.