Single Review: “Time Without Me” by NOT!
by Liam M. Hennessey
The sunshine state exports a number of signature sounds its known for; Death Metal, Boybands, and Soundcloud Rap to name a few, but few have a chokehold on the zeitgeist more than the Post-Hardcore sub-genre, Emo. Emo and Pop Punk hardly have an exclusive license with Florida, as Emo is often seen as best from when from the Midwest and Pop Punk when from California. That doesn’t mean Florida isn’t largely influential on the scene however, with flagship acts such as Yellowcard, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Dashboard Confessional (fun fact; I’ve done shots with their lead singer before at Sly Fox ages ago, real fun guy to talk to, hella down to earth) and Mayday Parade to name a few hailing from all over the state. Orlando especially is a hub for this scene, as Pop Punk, Emo, and Indie acts continue to flourish as much as they have always had here. One of those acts is NOT, who just released “Time Without Me”, their last release since they dropped their LP “You Might Get Abducted” in May of last year.
The track is just over 2 minutes in length, and it doesn’t waste any of that time. Fast paced all throughout, the track immediately kicks off by reminding the audience that this is still punk music at the end of the day. The chord progressions and vocal melodies carry the emotional weight of the tune throughout the fast-paced track, with the rhythm guitar taking the time to layer twinkling atmospheric riffs in the midst of breakneck drums. Most rock tracks are riff based, and this song definitely has its share of riff driven moments, but also takes the time to pay attention to the moments in-between necessary to help build tension. Just as the song is well written, it is equally well produced, with each instrument perfectly balanced in the mix. They add to the collective wall of sound without getting lost in the mix, figuratively and literally, with each member of the band acting well as a unit and individually.
All in all, “Time Without Me” by NOT, is like many punk tracks before it. It gets to the point while not forgetting to leave an impression and impact in that brief timeframe. It’s an excellent representation of Emo music to the unfamiliar; short song length, catchy riffs and vocal hooks, melodramatic but not overbearing lyrics. “Time Without Me” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it shouldn’t have to. Unless you’re the kind of person who listens exclusively to experimental music, CONSTANTLY, this track will rock your socks off. For those who do listen solely to experimental music, take a page from Bjork and remember to appreciate the fundamentals for a moment. This track would be a great place to start. It knows what it wants to be, and excels at that mission.
I give this single a solid 8 out of 10.
