Promising to Rock

Part of the Promise Ring's appeal lies in their uncanny ability to mix two audiences that are more suitable on opposing sides of a barroom brawl than at a concert. But at Wednesday's show at the 'Sco, the Promise Ring proved that on their latest tour they have learned how to move swiftly between pop and punk, all the while posing as the epitome of indie rock.

The Promise Ring's brand of smiling pop, from their newest disc Very Emergency, overcame the 'Sco when the boys took the stage. Opening with "Happiness is all the Rage," lead singer Davey von Bohlen sang, "I got my body and my mind on the same page and now happiness is all the rage." The indie rock band coated the 'Sco in a wave of 20-something merriment, bashing the stereotype that alternative music can offer the listener nothing but angst laden lyrics full of resent. Without pause, the Promise Ring moved into "Emergency! Emergency!," a tune in which the narrator of the song fears losing his love. They sing, "Sometimes I wake up early to say goodbye just in case you don't come back." The singer's distinctive tone was lost in the muddied sounds that spilled from the bass and guitars off and on throughout the show. Bohlen's voice is a singular one, and it was very disconcerting that the audience could not hear him. While the musicians are talented, it is his overtly poppy lyrics that make this album a strong one. Without his voice and lyrics, the Promise Ring sounds like its earlier albums: just another post hardcore garage punk band.

Another favorite was "Deep South," a revved-up tune that had even the most reticent indie rocker bopping along with the cheery lead singer. In this tune, which refers to the "deep south of heaven," they sing, "I'm writing it all down, it will be different soon, you look amazing stuck between me and the moon." This fantastic tune was a distinctive break from the ballad-heavy album.

Appealing to the college crowd, the lead singer introduced "Living Around" by asking if everyone knew about the infamous "walk of shame." The surprise of this song was not the cliched nature of the lyrics, but that the band could pull off the song with such grace. They sang, "Reading your books and wearing your clothes, nobody knows that they're not mine." "Living Around" touches on a topic known shamefully to most college students - complex situations of non-committal sexuality - and actually sums up the experience: "It's the end of the world today, you drop a bomb on my bad day."

Next the Promise Ring sang "Things Just Getting Good," a doleful tune about the melancholic end to summer. They sang, "When what I came to say is said, and the sun sets on my summer career. How September came for Sinatra / now its winter then it is a new year." This tune perfectly describes the early stages of a journey that sees no end. For the final song of the show the band sang, "New Jersey Shore." This song describes the hollow depression of walking the boardwalk. "If I come to New York / can I sleep on your floor? / I'm barely walking on the boardwalk anymore."

While the Promise Ring performed a good show, a major detraction from their sound lies in the similarity of their songs. Bubblegum lyrics and cheesy dance moves from a charming lead singer can only carry a band so far. In order to transform a good show, such as Wednesday's, to a great one, The Promise Ring needs to tweak its sound to make songs distinguishable from the each other. Only then will they have all indie rockers dancing the night away.