Typesetter – Wild’s End

Relatively new to the midwestern punk scene, Typesetter is the latest act out of Chicago to garner considerable hype under the scene’s illuminating spotlight.  Boasting a sound sure to attract comparisons to a messier, punkier rendition of Restorations, it’s hard to dispute the band’s potential for up and coming appeal.  Taking full advantage of the impressive track record of their new home on Black Numbers Records, the band puts their best foot forward with their latest full length, Wild’s End.  The record makes for an impressive intro that won’t take long to click with enthusiasts of the rough-edged genre.

As revealed throughout the album’s twelve track run, pacing is key in Typesetter’s success.  Take the variation twisting through a song like “Inbetweens.”  Not only are the vocals deployed sparingly and at varying intensities, but the transition between reverb-coated guitars move from crunchy chords to high flying noodly riffs with relative ease.  Examples like “Obvious Imperfections” shift from chorus to verse without hanging up on  Elaborating on vocals, the band rallies around a strong lead voice but doesn’t hesitate to throw other band members into the fray.  For instance, the lead vocals on “Settling” and “Nietzsche In Florida” come punctuated with aggressive overlays both separating and joining accompanying phrases.  With so many cooks in the kitchen the result isn’t always consistent, but there’s no denying Wild’s End’s strong sense of progression.

Lyrically the album reaches for emotional weight with varying results.  Without over-analyzing each track, Typesetter moves between bleak emotion and heartening rebound.  As previously touched upon, pacing and variety balance out the record, and the same can be said about the album’s various lyrical ups and downs.  One relative weakness along these lines is that each line won’t necessarily pop out to the listener, so an active ear will gain the most from each track.

With Wild’s End, Typesetter has established a solid foundation from which to further develop their sound.  While they may garner loose comparisons to bands like Restorations, The Stereo State and The Young Leaves, with a little refinement and maintaining their momentum, Typesetter are poised to move from playing second fiddle to a full blown centre stage.  In the mean time, familiarize yourself with Wild’s End and embrace this solid example of rough yet refined, well-paced punk.