I was originally only going to talk about the second track on this EP because that was the song that had been released but now there are two! I don’t know if this is the universe commenting on how I try to plan ahead or why I waited to talk about the first track to begin with. Either way, now we have two pretty amazing songs from Set It Off to talk about today!
So Predictable
I just love how dancey this track is. I remember hearing it for the first time and almost immediately adding it to my Dance Playlist. It gets stuck in my head and I can’t help but dance when it comes on.
A lot of this has to do with the drums, provided by Maxx Danziger, mixed with the digital sound effects. In fact, I’d love to know who mixed it. I spent a bit of time searching but I think I’ll have to dive into some interviews if I want to find out. Also, Carson’s cadence and the words he hits harder than others really make this beat infectious.
There’s some great layered vocals in this song. I’m especially fond of the vocalizations after the chorus as they add to the sing-ability of the track while also adding a nice dynamic to the song.
Catch Me If You Can
This track starts off pretty tame but do not be deceived, it’ll pick up before you really know what happened.
The clapping is a nice touch, something that is incorporated into the previous track during the bridge, but here it becomes a more pivotal part of the song.
I love how the song cuts out right before the chorus. Both tracks do an excellent job of playing with minimal instrumentation while also having moments of more intense sounds.
As I’ve come to expect from this band, there are some clever lyrics in this track.
You’re running after me
Chasing apologies
When you can’t get a grip
There’s a lot of subtlety to their lyrics and while these tracks don’t have the best Set It Off has to offer in this department, there’s more here than might be glimpsed at first listen.
Also, why is Cody Carson such a good singer? Like, those vocal slides he does–it gets to me. He manages to sound aggressive one line and almost breakable the next. It’s not the kind of voice I thought I would like when I first started hearing songs from this band but with every new one I hear I find more and more appreciation for his talent.
Rating:
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this EP very much if I’m being honest. I’ve had mixed reactions to Set It Off in the past, especially when it came to their more aggressive stuff, but this is a solid sound evolution and I like to see a band changing things up and even surprising me a few time.