The whole Midwestern punk sound is something you either love or hate. I, personally love most of the main bands that have come from this genre but when it comes to newer bands, they have to do something to stand out among the others. It's a given fact that I'll enjoy the band but will I be telling my friends to jump aboard the bandwagon? Probably not. With that said, the main subject here is Oklahoma punk band, Over Stars and Gutters' debut album Consider This Your Curse. Will this album catapult the band to the top of the "orgcore" world within a few months? No. Are they enjoyable? Of course.
The opening paragraph may have given away what kind of music Over Stars and Gutters play, but in case you're lost they play a style of punk with gruff vocals and emotional and sincere lyrics about struggles in life, exhaustion, and regret. To be a little more specific, they are very reminiscent of A Flight & A Crash-era Hot Water Music in the vocal and technical department. Vocalist/guitarist Matt McHughes' deep, rough vocals sound a little too similar to that of Chuck Ragan, and the rhythm section plays a lot of melodies similar to Hot Water Music. I'm not calling them rip-offs but if they were aiming for this album to carry an A Flight & A Crash or Caution vibe, then they reached their goal.
Despite the similarities, this band does what they do pretty well: good sounding vocals, tight rhythm section, and sincere and honest lyrics. There is not much to dislike. The only real problem with this record is that nothing really sticks out here at all except for a few catchy choruses and repeated gang vocals. This really makes the record difficult to get into despite the band's sound being very enjoyable. Another thing is that there are already a whole slew of other bands that sound similar to this which makes Over Stars and Gutters look like a tadpole in a giant lake. Actually, calling them a tadpole is a bit harsh since they're a solid band, so I guess a small fish in a big lake would be more appropriate. One other thing I commend this record for is the great production thanks to former Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton helping out with the recording process. The production is very slick and every instrument comes in sounding sharp because of it.
Over Stars and Gutters aren't breaking any new ground here but their debut album is good enough to win a chunk of listeners over. If you just can't get enough of these punk bands and are looking for another album to add to your collection, then I recommend this album. Also, it would be a good pickup if you're looking for something that sounds similar to late-career Hot Water Music. They may also earn the honor of being one of the better bands from Oklahoma that I've heard in awhile.
