THE KILLINGTONS
The Killingtons (Meg)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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A surprisingly strong debut from this Long Beach-area quartet. The Killingtons are well into their fifth year of existence, and are trying to escape the ‘emo-pop’ tag their very moody rock was christened with a while back. I heard ‘emo’ before it became such a strong ‘category’, and this cd is a lot deeper than any plaintive, empty whining, and droning minor chords. This band became popular at a moment when a ton of bands had dropped their ska-core sound, got matching haircuts, and named themselves after fragments of slogans, like Saves the Day. Then they became known as "spocks", and had crowds of kids who would support them, rocking out with their backpacks still on. At press time (in the U.S.) it's dying out, like so many trendy styles before it did. Comparisons to the Catherine Wheel, or the Foo Fighters are much more believable than, say, Sunny Day Real Estate, and the Get Up Kids. When emo-core turns to emo-snore (which it already has in my book), the Killingtons will probably be on record #2. Red Five’s guitarist Mitchell Townsend recorded this at a tiny rehearsal studio in Costa Mesa, Calif., and I’ve heard several other projects done there, but this one seems like it could have come from a much more "proper", larger environment. Red Five called it a day, and Townsend makes a fine addition to this band as a second guitarist. Keep an eye peeled for the Killingtons on tour. Having seen them live several times, I can vouch for the continuity of this cd set, and its translation to the stage. An excellent beginning. Standout track? "Ninety Three."

© 2000 - Jason Thornberry