Ribbon Fix – Some Saturday This Has Been CD (Grafton Records)

Once again, I am diving deep into Grafton Records archives to present you with another tremendous full-length that probably went under your radar many years ago. I recently wrote a review about Camp Fire Dares The Sun, a second full-length release by Ribbon Fix and the fourth release by Grafton Records. This time, I am traveling one year before this release to examine Some Saturday This Has Been, their debut full-length album and the third release by the beforementioned label. Everything published under this label sounds superb, and you can expect nothing but high-quality emo, indie, and post-hardcore sound. That’s the case with this particular album as well.

I cannot explain what draws my attention to the bands under the Grafton roster or any other band that played emocore music during the nineties, but I have to admit I enjoyed everything that Grafton has put out so far. Still, Ribbon Fix stands out from their impressive roster. That has to be due to the way this band combines emo, indie, and post-hardcore. Their music isn’t overly chaotic, but you may stumble upon some progressive, jazzy, nearly chaotic moments where the band bursts with tremendous energy. The band also combines all sorts of emotions and lets it all out through nearly anxious sonic maneuvers, where you can hear the tension, unsettledness, and discontent during their performance.

However, that chaotic moments are minimal compared to the calmer segments where the band bursts with excellent chord progressions, riffs, melodies, harmonies, and other sonic delicacies performed on guitar. Of course, the bass guitar provides a massiveness through warm-sounding low-end tones. You’ll get the impression these basslines are constantly dueling with the arpeggiated chord progressions, but everything sounds so harmonious. The excellent drumming performance dictates the tempo, dynamics, and energy and keeps everything in line by delivering thoughtfully arranged rhythmic acrobatics, accentuations, and fills. The band cleverly assembled each composition, so there’s no way you’ll stumble upon weak moments while listening to this masterpiece. I believe this album is still available on compact disc at Grafton Records, so head over to their website and purchase a copy if you’re into some excellent emo music.