www.bluelinemedic.com - www.redlinerecords.com.au
After picking up their EP A Working Title in Green last year, I have been eagerly awaiting (along with many others) the release of a full length from Blueline Medic. Two years in the making and The Apology Wars has finally arrived. The album was produced at the recording home of Fugazi by American engineer J. Robbins who has worked with bands like Jets to Brazil and The Promise Ring, so it was destined to be something special. This being the taintless combination of bass, drum, guitar and vocals.
It opens with the smooth melody of Cathedral which really sets the mood of the album. And the mood is swinging, one second it'll be very mellow and then a couple of seconds the drums will be pounding away against a hardened vocal. You really don't know what to expect next which is why I love it so much. Songs like the uncontrollable Making the Noveau Riche or Shuffle and Scrape are so rich with intensity and passion that the music will flow through your body like a fast heartbeat. Blueline Medic also tone it down successfully with songs like At Least We Had the War and Somnambulist which are so dull in tone it's hard to believe that they have you hooked. My favourites on the album, among many, are Over the Lawn which moves from tempo to tempo like a time-bomb; Up Against the Fault which is probably a combination of all the elements of The Apology Wars rolled into one song; Write Us which features an awesome outro which you'll sure to be singing along to and the aggressiveness of The Cheat will get you charged up in no time. In all honesty, every song is good in its own little ways. Whether it's slow or fast, happy or sad, Blueline Medic manage to reel you in and keep you interested with The Apology Wars. (Matthew Matanovic)