Eastern Conference Champions - Santa Fe EP
ECC actually released this EP in late 2009 and it marked the band's return to independence following their split w/ Universal Recs.
It's that return to independence that will end up defining Eastern
Conference Champions.
We've all heard the "horror stories" about artists losing control of their sound by signing to a major. And while I can't personally put that stigma on ECC, I can tell you their sound on Santa Fe is refreshing and genuine.
At just five songs, this EP is a fantastic primer for the band's coming full-length album, Speak-ahh due later this year. The Pennsylvania group is indie rock at its finest, and this EP portrays the band's work from the powerful opening in "Common Sense" (which happens to be the hardest of the five tracks) to the more quotable, radio friendly "Bloody Bells."
I think the most disappointing part to Santa Fe, is the continual decreasing interest in songs as the EP plays. In other words, ECC got the best songs on record first and essentially let the EP trail off.
That's not to say the other three songs are bad. They just don't seem to have as much grip as the EP's openers.
"Sideways Walking" is a slower track that really ends up eating time more than my own attention.
"On Off" brings ECC's harder side back, and although it's not anything you'll be moshing to, it helped break up the monotony of the slower side that seemed to be building.
Then comes the album's closer, "Silo," which finds ECC playing Radiohead-like (OK Computer era). Only thing is, "Silo" doesn't have near the immediate impact of say "Karma Police." And while it's completely unfair to compare ECC to Radiohead, it's also got to be looked at as somewhat complimentary. There aren't many other bands out there that you'd want to hear someone say "it's not as good as ..."
Recommended if you like
Metric
Bon Iver
Grizzly Bear