First off, Cardboard Empire is the coolest name for a label, thanks to Hawthorne Heights for that. Second thing, their first release is by a UK band who’s been at this awhile and are ready to take America under their musical wing, Failsafe. Their US debut, Routines, is already nominated for my personal “Album of the Year” awards. The red carpet runs from ear to ear and there are no physical awards, but still. It was different than what I was used to. It’s more rock than I’m used to, but not that overbearing rock, it’s more like Matchbook Romance and Armor For Sleep; melodic rock. But in the end I had to pry myself away to actually type and not sing along to “Skin and Bones” in my awful tone.
If you like bands like Armor and Matchbook, then you’re going to want to check out Routines. But if you’re a little wary because you’re more into The Wonder Years, hold on. Failsafe has the same lyrical mindset that today’s pop punk has. That woeful adult who is sick struggles with conformity in “Routines,” deals with self-loathing and feel “Dead to the World,” and are sick of wasting time in “The Persistence of Memory.”
They have a polished sound and one can tell this isn’t their first time putting their sound on an album, so it seems they brushed up and saved their best of the states. But I have to admit, it took some time for me to warm up to Routines. Which song swayed me to keep on, keeping on? “Sleepwalkers.” It was more upbeat and would’ve definitely garnered a “like” from my if it had been a Facebook status. So all are advised to check out “Sleepwalkers” and their all around rock title track, “Routines” to be convinced that Failsafe is their new favorite band of 2012.
Routines is out now on Cardboard Empire Records, so no excuses of forgetting drop dates. Favor time, you can get it here and here.
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