As It Is - This Mind Of Mine (EP Review)

I've been waiting to hear this EP since the band first announced it . The EP artwork just caught my eye. It's also always great to see what bands can do when they've accomplished a fan funded project. Overall As It Is has released a really solid EP with Mind Of Mine.

I read through As It Is track by track for this album and I'll admit I was expecting more than a few songs "about being sad." That may be the case but the band has wrapped those sad lyrics in some really solid upbeat summer sounding music. This is great catchy, upbeat, fun pop/punk done the right way. It incorporates a few elements of emo in the way New Found Glory did it on Sticks And Stones. The songs are so perfectly paced and catchy the EP has an instant likeability. The guitar parts on "Horoscopes" sound great. On first listen it caught my attention in a big way. If I had to pick one song I think you should check out from the band I would definitely recommend it. The last track "Relive This Story" closes the EP with some great build-up from a more melodic softer opening which builds to a more rock ending. It's another big standout track on the EP.

The production and mixing fit the band really well. It's pretty polished but it does have just enough rough edges to not come off as overproduced. It has just the right amount of "punk" edge that I like to hear on pop/punk releases. The way everything is done and the band's overall performance make the set of songs sound really cohesive. As a whole the way the guitar stuff was recorded on this album is great. The tones sound really good and it's a big driving part of the album. The band sounds extremely tight. The vocals are also pretty impressive for the EP. The trade-off between lead and back-up vocalists really sounds cool. I also thought the lyrics were pretty good overall.

Basically this band has captured something really good on this EP. This is mostly a pop/punk EP but it does take time to incorporate some different elements. The vocal and guitar performance on the album help As It Is stick out enough from the pack and the rhythm section give this EP a nice backbone. Those elements combined make this a memorable EP and a really cool listen. This band should be on anyone's list of must check out pop/punk groups in 2014.

Taken from the band's track by track: "This song is about being sad." "This song is also about being sad." "This song is about how we were still sad." "This song is easily the most sad." - As It Is

My Response: Rest assured in knowing this EP should make more than a few of your fans happy. As Sum 41 would say it's pain for pleasure.  - Sound In The Signals