album review
Hospital Bracelet
South Loop Summer
January 12, 2021
Self-Released
Since releasing the single “Sober Haha Jk Unless”, emo trio Hospital Bracelet has seen great success in anticipation of their debut full-length, South Loop Summer.
The album starts with sunny, energetic guitar licking that makes one think of, well, summer. I was immediately doused with an instrumental energy that reminded me of old, old Fall Out Boy (like Take This To Your Grave old) mixed with a grittier Hayley Williams style of vocals. Angsty, emotional, aggressive- yet hopeful, a sound that truly reminds you of that Chicago rock scene. “Happy Birthday” opens with a tight and fast guitar lick that’s perfectly wrapped with some meaty, driving bass. The song races off from the intro, “I wish I could better understand / why my life's work has now gone in someone else's hands.”
📷: Tina Mead
They conclude with “Summer Friends”, a powerful ballad that reveals the raw and honest vocal work of Eric Christopher. A biting account of relationships that have met their bitter end, “This hospital bracelet’s the only thing making me feel like maybe I’m not so alone / and your summer friends are only around for the summer / your summer friends are forgetting each other.” For fans of Paramore and Taking Back Sunday, South Loop Summer is available to stream and for purchase on bandcamp.