aaamusic | On 20, May 2012

SKATERS came about after three guys (Michael Cummings, Noah Rubin, and Joshua Hubbard) began sending demos to each other. They then decided to record an album in a loft somewhere in Manhattan and the Schemers EP was born.
The EP is one of the best records to listen to at the moment. There are five tracks on it and each is as easy to listen to as the last. The EP has been labelled as a “smart, dynamic punk record” but I’m not altogether sure that’s true. It’s brilliant, yes, but I’m not sure it’s punk. To me it seemed more indie-rock than anything.
The title track is also the first on the EP. Schemers is undeniably catchy – especially the chorus. In fact, the chorus sent my brain into a little bit of a meltdown while I tried desperately to work out what other song it sounded like. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to do so but what it does mean is you listen to the track over and over while you try and work it out. I’m not sure if that was an intentional act by SKATERS or whether it came about as a result of their varied influences but it’s a good move! The lyrics are pretty decent though nothing really stood out for me. One thing I will say about this track, however, is that it reminded me of the time when music sounded good and honest. I can’t pinpoint a particular era, so I’ll say a blend of the 50’s and 80’s and every decade between. It’s incredible.
The next song is called ‘Fear of the knife’. The simple bass line in this track was probably one of the best things about it. In fact, all of the instruments used made the song. The vocals are good but there’s something about them that makes it sound like the singer isn’t trying hard enough. Ordinarily, that would be good – after all, nobody likes a singer that has to force their vocals, but in this case they just seemed a bit lazy. Still talented though! This is perhaps the most chilled out, laid-back song on the EP.
Next up is ‘Are we just doomed’ which is, again, another good track. Although none of the tracks sound the same, they do all have a similar sort of sound. The same way you know a Muse song is a Muse song, you know a SKATERS song when you hear it. This particular track picks up at the end and made me tap my foot which is always a delight!
The fourth track is titled ‘Good weird woman’ which, let’s face it, everyone will love. Like I said, you can tell a SKATERS song from the instruments etc, but there’s something about this song that seems different to the others. The bass/guitar is catchy as sin and absolutely brilliant, as are the lyrics. My personal favourite being “Your heart is not the problem; it’s your whole outlook”. Maybe it’s just me that they struck a chord with but I doubt it – they’re just amazing.
Last but not least, we have ‘Done for good’. Sadly, this was my least favourite on the EP but that’s not to say it’s bad, it’s just not as good as the others. The lyrics and melody are still great, but there’s something about it that I just didn’t like as much. Who knows?
Overall, this is a great EP. I predict good things for SKATERS! The EP is available for digital download on May 21st 2012 and is definitely worth checking out.

★★★★★

Melisa Greenfield