Age is nothing more than a categorization of birth, a quick and easy way to distinguish between a right and wrong time to do some action (be it driving, drinking alcohol, or retiring). Yet, too often society uses age to determine someone’s’ emotional capacity and talent aptitude. How ignorant! One needs to look no further then No Sleep Records’s Balance & Composure to see how erroneous such postulations can be. Raised in the suburban Philadelphia alternative scene, the members of Balance & Composure may be only in their late teens or early twenties, but one finds no youthful innocence or immature musicianship on their debut album, Separations.

Separations is a clinic in melodic, mid-90’s, alternative music (think: Sunny Day Real Estate meets Brand New). What Balance & Composure do so well is find a way to be differentiated within the melodic framework they have attached themselves to. On tracks such as “Stoneheads” and “Defeat The Low,” the group relies on fuzzy guitar riffs supported by the inspired drumming of Bailey Van Ellis (whose kit work is only surpassed in awesomeness by his epic name). Melodic to the core, both songs ascended and dive periodically, creating a sensation of flying that allows the record’s more aggressive tracks to stand on their own. This is particularly true on the sensational “Echo,” a compelling track that slowly glides around the listener as the visceral vocal performance of Jonathon Simmons is chillingly memorable.

“Quake” and “Progress, Progress” stand in stark contrast to “Echo” as each are uncompromising and indignant. The former finds Simmons passionately swaying from clean vocals to screams around a gorgeous chord progression. The latter seethes with anger as Simmons screams, “Faith // I used to keep it so close to me.” One feels almost guilty for finding enjoyment in someone else’s pain, yet this is whatSeparations elicits. “Patience” is crafted in much the same guise, showcasing fervent drumming and ardent vocals.

Balance & Composure are at their most righteous when they combine both their melodic tendencies (“Void”) and their aggression (“I Tore You Apart In My Head”). On “Fade,” the quintet create an aura of weightlessness before crashing into a brutal chorus of thick chords and bashing percussions that hints at a heavier Nirvana. “Galena” exemplifies a different sort of heavy, as bassist Matthew Warner shines, pushing the song forward with a dense groove. Simmons sings “What does this all mean // I’m lost now // Somewhere in between // And I can say this was the last time // but I know it’s not the last time // your breathing gets shorter // your hands are getting cold // but you can’t die here // you’re only nineteen years old” as he toys with screaming, but never quite gets to that point.

Separations is not without its faults, however. At nearly fifty minutes, the album becomes quite tiresome, specifically because the lyrical content is so deep. As well, the first couple songs happen to be the weakest on the record, making Separations a difficult album to gauge right off the bat. Yet, the best albums are always the ones that take time to grow. Balance & Composure’s debut is a gripping exercise in passionate, melodic music that hints at an earlier era without coming off as a cheap clone. To say that this band has a promising future would be an understatement. For a group so young, they have crafted a debut record that is sure to put the post-hardcore elite on notice.

****/*****

*This review was composed by Mike Meeze