Closet Nerd - Rock, Pop Punk, Alt - Modesto, CA
I remember what it was like back in the day to bounce back and forth from band to band, always writing new songs, but never finding that perfect combination of people and motivation to really make something happen. The musicians of Closet Nerd, an alternative garage rock band from Modesto, California, have similarly endured this problem for years, but rather than let the difficulty get them down, they have attacked the problem head on by taking all of their best songs from the past few years and compiling them on the delightfully cohesive “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” EP. Let’s just say that they may have finally found that elusive perfect combination.
For a bunch of songs compiled from different time periods with different bands, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” actually sounds very consistent throughout, with each song flowing seamlessly into the next. The opening one-two punch from “Holly” to “Paper Street” does a great job switching from a more grungy sound to a straight up alternative feel between the two tracks, putting Closet Nerd’s diversity right out in the open for everyone to enjoy. The finger tapping and all-out shredding during the bridge in the latter seemingly comes out of nowhere, but it feels so right given the song’s immediacy and energetic hook. At points, the guitars sound exactly like Billie Joe Armstrong’s twangy powerchords, like in “Circles”, but the leads usually have more of a Blink-182 vibe to them.
Strong guitar isn't all that Closet Nerd has to offer, though. Female lead vocalist Genesis Helena does a fantastic job carrying the band, offering an impressive range stretching from quiet, delicate singing to an unrestrained, snotty delivery. Her almost folk-inspired intro to “The Jelly Belly Song” sounds a lot like Frances Quinlan from Hop Along, though Helena has a lot more control and precision in her singing. Once the chorus gets bigger, Helena puts more “umph” behind her voice and perfectly hits the higher, longer catchy notes. Interestingly, her delivery develops throughout the course of the EP, beginning a bit more restrained in the early tracks and slowly morphing into a confident, in-your-face style. “Circles” benefits greatly from her off-the-wall inflections and big personality in her singing.
Lyrical themes generally revolve around loss and the crumbling of relationships. Helena often laments about the imperfections surrounding her love life, where both the best and worst thing that ever happened to her were meeting someone in “One Big Kiss”. Acoustic EP-closer “I Hate You” is perhaps the best representation of strong lyrics, with covering a particularly bleak subject of losing someone, but pairing it with the fun, direct humor of blatantly singing “I super f*cking hate you”, to keep the EP from getting too dark.
And here we find the greatest strength of “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”: it is an incredibly fun listen. Anyone who’s ever enjoyed the straightforward and catchy rock music of the 2000's is going to immediately fall in love with Closet Nerd’s unique but still somehow familiar style. All of the tracks have their own distinct personality, and the short runtime only makes you want to come back for seconds and thirds. Great vocals, catchy choruses, strong musicianship—what more could you ask for? You don't often hear of great music coming out of Modesto, but Closet Nerd is going to put it back on the map with ease.
Check out the EP on Bandcamp:
http://closetnerd.bandcamp.com/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/closetnerdmusic
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/closetnerdmusic
ReverbNation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/closetnerd
By: Max Puhala
For a bunch of songs compiled from different time periods with different bands, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” actually sounds very consistent throughout, with each song flowing seamlessly into the next. The opening one-two punch from “Holly” to “Paper Street” does a great job switching from a more grungy sound to a straight up alternative feel between the two tracks, putting Closet Nerd’s diversity right out in the open for everyone to enjoy. The finger tapping and all-out shredding during the bridge in the latter seemingly comes out of nowhere, but it feels so right given the song’s immediacy and energetic hook. At points, the guitars sound exactly like Billie Joe Armstrong’s twangy powerchords, like in “Circles”, but the leads usually have more of a Blink-182 vibe to them.
Strong guitar isn't all that Closet Nerd has to offer, though. Female lead vocalist Genesis Helena does a fantastic job carrying the band, offering an impressive range stretching from quiet, delicate singing to an unrestrained, snotty delivery. Her almost folk-inspired intro to “The Jelly Belly Song” sounds a lot like Frances Quinlan from Hop Along, though Helena has a lot more control and precision in her singing. Once the chorus gets bigger, Helena puts more “umph” behind her voice and perfectly hits the higher, longer catchy notes. Interestingly, her delivery develops throughout the course of the EP, beginning a bit more restrained in the early tracks and slowly morphing into a confident, in-your-face style. “Circles” benefits greatly from her off-the-wall inflections and big personality in her singing.
Lyrical themes generally revolve around loss and the crumbling of relationships. Helena often laments about the imperfections surrounding her love life, where both the best and worst thing that ever happened to her were meeting someone in “One Big Kiss”. Acoustic EP-closer “I Hate You” is perhaps the best representation of strong lyrics, with covering a particularly bleak subject of losing someone, but pairing it with the fun, direct humor of blatantly singing “I super f*cking hate you”, to keep the EP from getting too dark.
And here we find the greatest strength of “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”: it is an incredibly fun listen. Anyone who’s ever enjoyed the straightforward and catchy rock music of the 2000's is going to immediately fall in love with Closet Nerd’s unique but still somehow familiar style. All of the tracks have their own distinct personality, and the short runtime only makes you want to come back for seconds and thirds. Great vocals, catchy choruses, strong musicianship—what more could you ask for? You don't often hear of great music coming out of Modesto, but Closet Nerd is going to put it back on the map with ease.
Check out the EP on Bandcamp:
http://closetnerd.bandcamp.com/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/closetnerdmusic
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/closetnerdmusic
ReverbNation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/closetnerd
By: Max Puhala