Halifax – A Writer’s Reference

After finally letting their contract with Geffen Records run out, Drive-Thru Records when on a signing spree, signing bands left and right and even starting a sister label with Rushmore Records. Some of the bands they signed look like they will disappear after one or two releases, while others look to be more long lasting and very promising. One of the first bands they signed in their spree was none other then California’s Halifax. The band, you may remember, released their debut full length (Start Back At Start) on ECA Records back in 2003, then an EP called A Writer’s Reference on No Milk Records in 2004. Their first release on Drive-Thru Records is a re-released version of A Writer’s Reference with an added song – the acoustic version of Sydney.

Although Drive-Thru Records houses a fair few different genres, more often then not their band’s are pop-punk. Halifax have combined one blossoming genre (emo) with the slightly dying genre of pop-punk to make a sound that isn’t all together original, but is still quite enjoyable. They throw in the occasional scream here and thee, which helps propel the song to new length rather then bog it down. They aren’t unnecessary or overdone, making it fit nicely. There are a few influences you can pick out while listening to the EP, one evident one is Taking Back Sunday in their Tell All Your Friends time with the occasional dueling vocals and a lead singer that sounds a lot like Adam Lazzarra.

One aspect of A Writer’s Reference that really gives the EP a lasting quality is the slight differences between the songs. They kick the album off with the heavy hitting single Sydney and end it with the mellow acoustic version of the same song, while the songs in between help make that transition possible.

Now I never heard the original EP, so I can’t compare the two; but the re-release definitely shows that Halifax will be one of the Drive-Thru‘s newer bands that will be able to last longer then just one or two albums. If you like the few Halifax songs you’ve heard on various compilations, I suggest picking this up.