Is one worth the other?, being the first release of freshman RU student band Memento Mori, is an extremely ambitious first album. The musical talents of each member are obvious, and come together throughout the recording to create one of the most charming DIY albums I’ve heard in quite some time. Beginning with the sounds of the rain, the spectral guitars and light drumming of “…and On and On” invite the listener to sit back and dry off for a while. The boys of Memento Mori proceed to intrigue with a barrage of resonating arpeggios that I haven’t heard since The Appleseed Cast’s Low-Level Owl: Volume 1. While the influence of the Cast’s atmospheric brilliance is clear on this album, Memento Mori has shown that they can mold it into their own style incorporating a more rock-steady element. This can be felt with the upbeat and borderline poppy intro to “Drifters” coupled with its unexpected yet appreciated gain-laden close. While “Words From a Friend” might feel like an interplanetary space flight, Memento Mori rejects any notion of prolonged space travel with the aggressive and tense “Eleven/Fifteen”. The tense and melodic tone of the song is furthered by singer Zach Bushnell’s lyrical exclamations such as “these hands are guilty, these hands are raw.” While the lyrics throughout the album are well sung and reinforced by goose bump inducing back-ups and refrains, I often find them abstract and indecipherable. This is, however, the only drawback to what could easily be considered one of the best new recordings on the RU indie-rock scene. The album finishes strong with the wonderfully crafted “On and On”. Its diverse instrumentation and ethereal vocals aim to please, finishing off with the endearing “say you’ll stay one time/I will lose myself in you for all time”. The song ends with the returned sounds of the rain, which would leave any listener reticent to go back into the deluge after such a lovely listening experience.

Only the word I can say is beautiful. Highly recommend for fans of Mineral/Gloria Records, Christie Front Drive, Ariel Kill Him, The Appleseed Cast's "Low Level Owl" series, Elliott's "Song In The Air", The burning Paris/On Fire. The gene is inherited...