Living Means – The Downside

This is Rhode Island’s Living Means debut EP, several tracks previously surfaced as single releases but here they present us with six songs of truly independent self released rock. In listening to this you can almost imagine the record collections of those responsible, a hefty slab of grunge and a lot of 90’s alternative and a smattering of punk and emo, did I say that was a bad thing? well it isn’t, this is quite an accomplished release, especially considering this is a completely independent.

The end result is a blend of the noisier end of alternative music from the last few decades and it works surprisingly well. The drums pound away relentlessly and the guitar riffs are heavy, very heavy, with raw impassioned vocals. The Downside builds in intensity across it’s first five tracks until we get to Skeptical, this song in particular leaps out at you with it’s killer guitar riff and pummelling beat and is one that should be anyone’s playlist, it’s certainly been added to mine… and it’s staying there. The EP bows out in a mellow downbeat fashion and this provides a welcome contrast to the five cuts that preceded it.

I would encourage anyone to buy The Downside, not only is this a great release in it’s own right, it’s the product of a band doing things on their own terms, you can hear this in the recording and it sounds like Living Means really care about what they’re producing and aren’t willing to compromise. In my book that is a something worth supporting, it turns out The Downside doesn’t have one.

The Downside can be purchased here.