The Appreciation Post – Self-Titled

Is it just me, or are moog and synths becoming more and more prominent in today’s scene? Hot Hot Heat, Epoxies, Frosted Tipz, Motion City Soundtrack and more are all making a name for themselves thanks in part to the addition of Moog synthesizers. And really, it makes sense – because more often then not the little added effect gives the song an extra layer to really push it forward. Boston, MA’s The Appreciation Post knows this and proves it with their debut self-titled EP.

Now, this four song EP is far from spectacular, but it is still an entertaining release – particularly for those who are fans of power-pop bands or slightly indie bands with a twist. Because that’s what The Appreciation Post are, think of a mix between Hot Hot Heat and Motion City Soundtrack, slowed down a bit and heavier on the latter of the two bands and you could get a slight idea about what this five piece “synth-core” band sounds like. The songs are all insanely catchy, very upbeat, and surprisingly well crafted for a brand new band – which is probably due to the fact that most of the members have been around in other bands for a while (guitarist Scott Morganella still plays for Junction 18).

While the synth definitely plays an important role in the formation of The Appreciation Post‘s signature sound, it is not the sole driving force behind it. Sure, if they left it out the band would definitely be lacking in catchyness, but they still have solid, slightly distorted guitars prodding the songs in the right direction. And while the vocals will probably become slightly irritating after a continuous amount of listening, they are infectious enough to keep the listener satisfied for a few spins.

There’s no denying that the band has potential, and I look forward to hearing what else they come up with because these four songs show promise. The only thing they need to figure out is how to make it so that the songs are able to standout by themselves more. Because as they are, if they put out a full length, the songs will not be distinctive enough to really grab the listeners attention throughout.

If you’re interested, you can download the EP at myspace.