Album Review: Joy Departed by Sorority Noise

Date: July 19, 2015

I first saw Sorority Noise take the stage opening up for Modern Baseball last June. I was instantly drawn in by their performance, bringing energy to the crowd that I hadn't seen for a while. I went back home and listened to Forgettable, and ended up growing increasingly frustrated and unimpressed. While the album was decent, I didn't feel like it accurately depicted the band's raw energy and presence. I was looking for something more.

Joy Departed ended up proving me wrong. While many call Sorority Noise an emo band, I believe they have grown to become much more. Frontman Cameron Boucher even wrote on the band's Facebook page, "I don't want to be in an emo band anymore. But I have no problem with people calling us that, because in the strictest of senses, we are an emotionally driven band." Boucher, along with his bandmates,take a chance on this album to make that change, and to see how they can develop as a band. This can be a risky move for bands within their genre, with young fans often feeling alienated and crying on Facebook and Twitter about their favorite band, "selling out." But the reaction was just the opposite for this group. The record was welcomed with overwhelming acceptance and love, with great reviews across the board.

My favorite song on the record has to be Corrigan. Opening track "Blissth" transitions right into the song, quietly opening with, "All I wanna be is the one you sometimes miss." By the time the chorus hits, listeners are full of angst and emotional turmoil, as most songs on this record create. "I will never be the one you need," Boucher sings after a grand build up. It's the perfect example of what I personally enjoy in my favorite songs. Starting off slow and building you up to get punched in the face.What a gem.

As a whole, this album has everything an indie rock or emo fan could want. It has all the riffs you have grown to love, unbelievable hooks, emotional lyrics, and even a little grunge. As Noisey pointed out while streaming the album before it's release, the band is largely associated with the emo revival we have all come to know and love/hate. This band is so much more and this record is probably going to end up on of my favorites of the year. Give it a listen, you won't regret it!

Please note that the opinions expressed in this review are the sole opinion of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WSOU, Seton Hall University, nor any of its affiliates.

Posted in: Album Review, Campus Buzz, WSOU Exclusive