Four college freshmen and childhood best friends comprise the fresh, young band This Day In History, and they set the bar high with their debut album “Max”. The incubation period for the alternative rock band from Lynn, Massachusetts is up, and they are sure to catch fire as they step out into the Boston music scene.
A music lover rarely finds such a dynamic in a band as is to be found in This Day In History. The chemistry of these four talented musicians is demonstrated by their ability to produce the kind of complex yet uncluttered sound as is exhibited in “Max.”  As electric as it is grounding, the soundscape of “Max” resonates with the listener long after the album has been played all the way through.
The collaboration of Vinny Capano and Steve Moran on guitar allows for a sound that is as static as it is dynamic. The sound spectrum feels boundless as Moran dances through his guitar riffs with an ease and perfection that puts an innovative twist on virtually classic schemas. Eric Rondeau furnishes a bass line that is at times a steady contrast to the whimsical lead guitar, and at others a bouncy yet subtle contribution conducive to the energetic nature of songs like “Yellow Jackets” and “Clark.” Jonathan Dorson dazzles on drums. He both anchors and carries the fantastical guitar playing with drumming that is sophisticated and complex, also in a manner that utilizes the cymbals in a refreshing, electrifying way.
Unique as This Day In History’s sound is, songs like “Fade” and “Days” hint at the alternative rock influences of The Black Keys and Radiohead. “Max” opens with a psychedelic sound and has a natural progression from beginning to end.
A unique component to This Day In History’s music is the sound effects that drummer and sound engineer Dorson provides. Never out of place are the sound bytes that accent the already trippy, dream-like songs “Days” and “With You.” Carefully placed are the shorter lyric-less songs “Electric Jaws” and “Parallel,” the latter is where Dorson really showcases his creative talent. While both songs lack vocals, neither lacks appeal. “Max” is the rare kind of album that can be listened to all the way through.
Where there are vocals, Capano, Moran, and Rondeau are all to thank. Moran and Rondeau alternate lead vocals and Capano offers back up. Moran is both gritty and invigorating in “Fade” and in “Days,” and while the musical compositions alone are exceptionally enthralling, his vocals are what really draw you in. Rondeau’s vocals in songs like “With You” and “Bound” are sultry and enchanting, and he and Moran know how to alternate their vocal talents in a way that really plays into their strengths.
The lyrics that these vocalists carry are artfully crafted. “With You,” “Fade,” “Days,” and “Bound” all have lyrics that accent the music, allowing for the sounds of the instruments to lead the vocals through. That is not to say that where there are lyrics they are not powerful. “Yellow Jackets” sings of paranoia—a common fear that we all share—and the knowledge that the world is hard, and war is everywhere. And “Clark,” if you listen, tells a story. “Clark” is an imaginative song about a stoner caterpillar who has at home a wife and kids and a ‘normal’ life, but he seeks escape from the pressures of his ordinary life through smoking pot.
While “Clark” is fun and seemingly nonsensical, other songs run deeper into the psyche of man. “Days,” though it has minimal vocals, calls to your soul. It is deep and haunting, and has a natural progression that comes to what feels like a conclusion in the end. It begins with a narrative of rain and faltering, and after the sound reaches a sort of climax goes into an instrumental interval from which emerges a new sound; the same song with a new tone, embellished by the sounds of chirping birds mirroring a bright, sunny morning after the night of a storm.
This kind of sophisticated artistry is a rare gem, and even rarer when you take into account the youth of the four talented young men who are This Day In History.
“Max” can be downloaded for the price of your choice at http://thisdayinhistory.bandcamp.com/