The Emergency

"Doo-Lang Doo-Lang" CD

self-released

Genre: indie rock, indie pop

August 2007

These guys were a surprise treat for me with their last How Can You Move? album, and I was pretty psyched when this new effort fell into my lap. Though their cover art this time around is a wee bit ugly, The Emergency sure can write a pop song. Imagine a more college-rock version of Guided By Voices and you've got a pretty accurate picture of what these boys do. They have a very distinct melodic style, which is a good thing, and they exude a sincere passion for their music. It's worth noting that the vocals are a tad unpolished, occasionally failing to match up perfectly with the climactic power chords and crashing percussion. But at their best - on memorable anthems like "I Can't See the Sea" and "Kill the Devil" - they manage to make any flaws seem unimportant. Not all songs are the pick of the litter, for sure, (too-long opener "Do The Uptight - United States Now", irritating "Anxiety All The Time"), but there's plenty here to keep a pop lover busy. Doo-Lang Doo-Lang marks the second great offering from this criminally overlooked troupe.

the emergency's myspace

85%

Fun Fact: In 2005, The Emergency trademarked their band name, so technically no other band is allowed to use the same name.

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 16 tracks, 55:18, distributed by CD Baby, released 2007]