HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
If Only You Were Lonely
Victory Records
· Sophomore release of emo-core songs about broken hearts whimpers and screeches in nearly all the right places.
After their first Victory release in 2004, Hawthorne Heights pummelled through tours with hardcore acts Silverstein, Bayside and Aiden, and are now poised for mass consumption on an upcoming tour with Fall Out Boy.
If Only You Were Lonely offers an accessible dozen tracks with tightly layered guitars, and the requisite power growls and guttural yelps form a backdrop for the softer lead vocals that careen through a lyrical landmine of yearning and heartache. They teeter on the edge of falling prey to the successful melodramatic antics and imagery of My Chemical Romance, but manage to hold on.
Captivating and with just the right amount of genuine charm, If Only would benefit from more consistent aggression and intensity and a little less shellac on the production side. Imperfections and grit would inject more sincerity into the emotions conveyed and heighten the overall impact of the album.
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