Daytrader is probably a band you haven't heard of before, but you're not alone: the band have really only been around for a few years. However, their blend of emo that pays tribute to the genre's early glory. This nostalgic feel has landed them playing shows with the likes of the new "pop-punk revival," such as Man Overboard and The Wonder Years. Making waves in all the right places, the band landed themselves on the Rise Records roster as one of the "WTF?" signings. With Rise backing them, is Daytrader about to come out of nowhere and lead the emo revival with their debut full-length Twelve Years?
Twelve Years starts off as consistent as any album to come out so far this year. The opening track "Deadfriends" takes a while to get going, but when it does, you get the feeling that it's going to stick with you. The song's chorus is the key point of the song, while delivering a declaration that Daytrader has arrived, and is a band to be reckoned with. With such a raucous opener, the second track can make or break the album, and "If You Need It" moves the album along smoothly, and improves upon the groundwork laid before it with an even bigger chorus. "Firebreather" begins to show the band's musicianship, as the opening guitar riff flows nicely into yet another big-time chorus, and the drums provided throughout the verses pace the track well. After "If You Need It" and "Firebreather" move at a brisk pace, "Skin & Bones" starts off much slower, and its dark lyrics make for a complete reversal from what was placed before it.
The band's big skill on display throughout Twelve Years is the way they create the "atmospheres" of the songs. What I mean by that is, when the band want to get some sort of specific emotion across in a particular song (or part of a song), they execute it perfectly. For example, tracks like "Struggle With Me," "Silver Graves," and a few other songs are about embracing what you've been giving and making the most of it, and the band get that feeling across both in their lyrics and in the music that's put behind them, as the two tracks mentioned earlier have a sense of urgency, while "Skin & Bones" takes a darker approach on both fronts. To put it simply, Daytrader have the talent to get their point across in many different ways, and Twelve Years finds the band beginning to explore their creative boundaries, and maybe even cross them once in a while. Second-to-last song "Heard it in a Song" features a single acoustic guitar and an accentuating violin, and when you expect the song to burst open like "Deadfriends" does, the band stay steady, and get their point across with that single acoustic guitar and vocalist Tym's voice crooning over it. Album closer "Letter to a Former Lover" is a thoughtful goodbye to a failed relationship, as Tym (that's really his name, by the way) bids farewell to a, um, former lover, with what seems like no animosity. "Some time in the future, we'll meet again," he says, "Smile, catch up. We'll make a day of it, it'll feel like it's yesterday again, at least for a second." Afterwards, the band takes over one last time before one last chorus is played. "As far as this goes, I have no regrets," he sings before the song ends. With the way Twelve Years came out, Daytrader shouldn't have any regrets about their Rise Records debut.
As far as debut albums go, there isn't much left to be desired when you finish listening to Twelve Years. Sure, the production could have been a little more crisp, and the album drags a little in the middle, but for now, we'll call those the growing pains of a band who seem to be doing just about everything right. Twelve Years is one of the most consistent albums to come out in 2012, and to be able to say that about a band who hasn't been around that long should be the biggest sign of promise you can find. From the first four songs of the album to the last two, there are enough high points on Twelve Years for you to want to spin the album this summer, and tell everyone you know about Daytrader.
The Bottom Line: There's usually one or two albums every year that you listen to and say to yourself, "There's no way this is their debut full-length." Until further notice, 2012's edition of that album is Twelve Years. Seriously, you need to check this out.
Recommended if you Rock: Funeral for a Friend's Hours, Taking Back Sunday's Where You Want to Be, Hidden in Plain View
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