Screamo is a fickle mistress. In all facets it is beautiful, soul crushing music performed with all the heart anyone can muster. However, almost always it is a genre where emotion runs high in the music. And, perhaps, this is why many screamo bands quit just as they begin to realize their potential, as is the case with Knowing We’ll Never Grow Up.
Hailing from Salt Lake City, Knowing We’ll Never Grow Up was everything that screamo should be. The vocals were harsh and grating, putting the listener on edge while they try to desperately make sense of the words that the sentiment backs. The guitars however always contrasted the vocals, creating a beautiful dissonance between the two as they twinkled and noodled their way through each song. Some may even say the sound was vaguely reminiscent of the “emo revival” that gave math rock a chance to seem cool again, but this analysis seems almost too simple for the excellent guitar work presented here. It is subtle and melodic, shaping the overall direction of all the songs but at the same time fierce enough to accent the more frenzied drums and vocals.
Still, there is some of that faux emo pop sensibility that, while normally extremely generic and grating, is presented in a much more unique way here. The gang vocals are fun when used (and they are thankfully used sparingly), and the always cheesy but always effective “spoken word” sing-songy sections are always effective at tugging at the ol’ heart strings. Pair all of this with their more rigid screamo backbone and Knowing We’ll Never Grow Up separates themselves from the trite “emo revivalists” while not falling completely to the buzz kill “real emo” defenders. It is a sound that I have yet to hear emulated anywhere nearly as effectively, though more and more bands seem to be crossing my bandcamp radar trying so we will see.
Perhaps most importantly of all, their entire discography is up for free download on their bandcamp page. If you want to cry yourself to sleep for the next few nights while desperately reaching for any other living thing to provide some form of comfort and warmth, it’s recommended that you download all of it and binge listen. Seriously, treat yourself. You deserve it.