Demure

Demure

Track Listings

1. Songbird

2. Pantomime

3. Far From Now

4. Detour

5. Taken In

6. Demure

7. Overrated

8. Second of February

9. Closed Call

10. Relief Sketch

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Engine Down formed in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1996, and have since relocated to Richmond, Virginia. This innovative quartet sprang out of such bands as Sleepytime Trio, The Weak Link Breaks, and Bughummer.

The foursome have truly come a long way, displaying that they are not afraid to take their sound to new limits with interesting instrumentation (e.g. piano, cello, vibraphone) while at the same time maintaining a dynamic and intense energy. The intrigue of this band lies in the fact that their successive works always incorporate fresh, novel sounds – it's quite easy to trace their ascent to maturity from early works to their latest full-length effort, Demure.

The band has no qualms about pushing against and recklessly crossing the parameters of a monotonous post-rock tradition; they execute a musical excellence that will doubtlessly capture a wide swath of listeners for a long time to come. This energy has captivated an enthusiastic audience: the band charted in CMJ's Top 20 for eight weeks.

Engine Down have toured and played with such diverse luminaries as Four Hundred Years, The Mercury Program, Milemarker, and the Locust and have no intention to stop. They completed a full European tour in fall 2001 and plan to tour Japan, the US, and Europe again in 2002.

Over time, Engine Down's sound has matured into a force not content with the now tired boundaries of hardcore or "emo." Rather, Engine Down continue to hone their craft, surprising listeners with unexpected instruments and song structures.

Product Description
After growing steadily behind two critically embraced and well-received albums, Engine Down present Demure, a full-length that will surprise their most ardent fans yet remain inviting and accessible to those unfamiliar with their efforts to date. Demure captures an intriguing level of introspection only subtly hinted at in previous work, and the underlying pattern throughout the album is efficiency. The group's approach towards their third full-length is that of repetitious, droning guitars complemented by simplistic syncopation. The soaring, reedy vocals of Keeley Davis stand monolithic and solitary, anchors for many songs on Demure. For Engine Down to wrench such complex passion out of a self-imposed limited sonic palette is truly an accomplishment.

However, to dismiss Demure as a somber, sullen, or understated work would be an injustice. The group's most recent metamorphosis removes the volatile flare of earlier incarnations, and the energy once used to produce the bright flash of earlier albums now is harnessed for an urgency underlying each part of the album. This makes Demure more than a mere collection of ten songs. Engine Down smartly dares the listener to find the complexities mired within the full-length by defacing many of the expected guides of dynamic contrast or bombastic yells typically used to convey earnestness or passion.

The beauty of this third full-length is its deceptive plainness, allowing for different interpretations upon the first or the tenth listen. Casual and knowledgeable listeners alike will find the steady rhythmic blink and contemplative drive alluring. Demure is a hypnotic, gorgeously crafted venture created by four individuals who realize that sometimes the best way to showcase talent is to subdue it.

Demure,Engine Down,Lovitt Records,Indie Rock,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop,United States of America

Rock Music

Demure

Rock Music: