The Escape Route describe themselves in their very short press sheet simply as a pop band; but after just one take with their 6-song EP, Ctrl+Alt+Del, it’s clear there is much more complexity this band than what’s contained in a three-letter genre category. It was also apparent that this “pop band” tripe was a joke.
A look at their Myspace is a bit more revealing. “Sounds like: four guys arguing about the genre of music they want to play.” And what a relief! This is only the band’s second recording, and it is inspirationally refreshing and stellar!
Take for starters the track “Redundant,” which starts off with a wispy, funky electro intro, and goes on long enough to take us by storm when the goth-punk rest of the song kicks in. All in all The Escape Route is a lot gloomier by way of snotty punk, but more than anything else, this group has its synth on.
The vocals from Ctrl+Alt+Del eerily reminiscent of Chris Thompson (Void, Ignition, Circus Lupus, Monorchid, Skull Control); and musically, it’s got a hint of both Trail of Dead and Dead and Gone—but at the early stages of their careers. Basically, this sounds straight outta Bay Area circa 1989, only with an occasionally elec-trickier edge.
Something tells us an LP release from these boys will show huge maturity. As Tim Armstrong (aka Lint, the King of Ska) would have said back in the day of Operation Ivy, “Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!!”
