Pre-Owned The Damage (CD 0727361661328) by Tapping the Vein

0727361661328. Pre-owned: Good condition. CD. Blending the shimmering dream pop of bands like the Cranes with the harsh thrashing of Drain STH, Tapping the Vein is one of the bands who moves along without a specific genre or label. The band hinges on the gorgeous vocals of singer Heather Thompson, who fits perfectly with both styles. Her voice cuts through the music like a knife, expressing both rage and beauty with her strained screams and delicate coos. Mark Burkert's excellent guitar work also stands out here; his intense playing hints at hundreds of notes while only playing a sparse combination of strings. This is the first album from these four musicians, and like any young band they have a few bad songs. But the good songs are very good, hinting at the possibility that they could really make some great music after this album. As for their debut, it is a hit-and-miss proposition that results in some spotty moments in an otherwise fine album. ~ Bradley Torreano, Rovi