On their debut album, “I Want You to Know That There is Always Hope” I Was a Cub Scout touch lyrically on what many teenagers are hoping to hear. Songs of love, pain, etc. You know the routine. While the lyrics to the songs are decent, there was not a lot of surprise as to the feelings that were conveyed. IWACS fits into a very pigeonholed musical genre; the whiny teen who thinks that they are misunderstood and need an outlet for their feelings and angst. While I know that this comes across a little harsh, that was really what I heard from the lyrics. The music on the other hand is a completely different story.
The timing between this young duo is really something special. Unfortunately the band recently split up in early June but the level to the musical quality behind this band left me excited to hear what they were going to mature into. Lyrics can help paint pictures in a song, but the music really seems to create the whole story. These guys are both about 20 years old, so my lyrical expectations might be a bit too high for them. Musically they are well beyond their years. The synth in their songs is a strong driving force that builds the foundation for an immaculately constructed well-layered musical experience. I listened to the several times and each time I listened, I was able to hear something different musically versus the time before. The drums keep a very consistent beat, and blend well with all the other layers that are presented. Overall the musical quality went far beyond the lyrical quality.
While this is not the most glowing review, IWACS does not fall short on being a marketable (had they not split up), listenable, enjoyable band. They use some throwback methods to creating poppy music that has emotion behind it. “I Want You to Know That There is Always Hope” left me hoping that I could hear this band in five years. I’ve seen IWACS described as emo-pop; I would not classify it as that. IWACS makes synth driven pop music that has heart and emotion behind it. If you like to experiment, give them a try…just try to focus on the music and enjoy the well crafted experience that two teenagers were able to create.