Daytrader – Twelve Years

By Maryam Hassan

Brooklyn’s DAYTRADER are a breath of fresh air, somewhat. You could argue that any band on Rise Records not coughing up chuggy metalcore would be refreshing, but DAYTRADER have something about them which gives them an alluring edge. It’s not like they have re-written the handbook in any way, but they’ve certainly rearranged a few sentences and turned down a couple of page corners.

Throughout the album the band share a similar intensity to the later CRIME IN STERO records. In fact, there are some moments where the CiS influence really shines through. The songwriting is intelligent and dynamic, although not quite to the same level as their New York counterparts.

Twelve Years actually starts relatively uninspiringly, with the first 45 seconds of ‘deadfriends’ reminiscent of a tired old grunge band. But after the full band kicks in it steps up a few notches, the record rarely looks back.

DAYTRADER are good at finding the line between catchy and brooding – ‘If You Need It’ is a pop punk banger, while ‘Skin & Bones’ is dark and melancholy – and the two styles often intertwine mid track and complement each other well, in a similar vein to BAYSIDE. There’s also a fair amount of BRAND NEW influence on Twelve Years, but when Mike Sapone is handling production duties, it’s no surprise.

One of the highlights of ‘Twelves Years’ is an acoustic number, ‘Heard It In A Song’. The track benefits from some well-placed backing vocals and subtly added strings – as well as a ridiculously catchy chorus.

For those looking for an edgy underground album that pushes musical boundaries, ‘Twelve Years’ might not be what you’re after. However, for a well-written, rousing record with plenty of emotion, DAYTRADER may have just ticked all the boxes.

ANDREW CREAM

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