ATTACK IN BLACK - Years (by one thousand fingertips)

Attack In Black used to play hardcore music, but over the course of three full-lengths and a few EPs, they’ve transformed into a folk-rock force to be reckoned with. Nevertheless, most people know them for their song "Young Leaves," which was a staple on mainstream rock radio a few years back. If you were to attend a recent AIB concert, you wouldn’t hear that song. In fact, you would be lucky to hear many songs from that album (2007’s debut LP Marriage). Instead, you would hear some electrified versions of songs from their vinyl-only follow up to Marriage, the home-recorded acoustic album The Curve of the Earth, plus a lot of songs from their newest album Years (by one thousand fingertips). Trust me, this is excellent news. Not that Marriage was a bad album, but it was made before the band has really found their voice. Rather, voices. Until The Curve of the Earth, Dan Romano was the only singer in the band, and he sang in a rough, aggressive style, which was fine for music they were making at the time. Since they’ve mellowed out, all the other members (guitarist Spencer Burton, drummer Ian Romano and bassist Ian Kehoe) have taken a turn at the microphone, which adds a welcome dimension to the band. On Years, which was recorded entirely in the Romanos' parents' basement in Welland, ON and at friend Shotgun Jimmie’s farm in Sackville, NB, Attack In Black complete their transformation from radio-friendly punks to lo-fi indie-rockers. With this transition, hopefully people who had them pigeonholed will give them another listen, since a band this talented deserves a second chance.