I had the unique privilege of being in one of the bands that supported Real People at their EP release show last Saturday. The lineup was, in my opinion, one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of being a part of... Besides the incredible amount of sheer Buffalo talent in the room (there was an astonishing number of other bands in attendance, including representatives from The Malones, Nelson-Type, and plenty other bands), an interesting phenomenon occurred - all four bands sold the same amount of tickets, and most of them were sold the day of. There was no hierarchy or fight for who played first, second, third, and whatever else. The show just was what it was, and everyone enjoyed a solid crowd. Most people stayed for the entire show.
That's the thing about bands in this genre, specifically in this case, like Real People... This show on Saturday wasn't one you'd expect to see with the full stage treatment. Every now and then, a few of us get a lucky break and catch a great opening slot at the Tralf or something. But Real People is a prime example of a band meant to be seen in basements. No one had to sell tickets to that show - people were going to come out to support it no matter what.
I've always admired Real People's rawness, but their new EP, Ceilings, got the full GCR/Jay Zubricky treatment. For anyone familiar with their catalog, you'll be relieved to know that singer Landon Sworts keeps his half-madman shriek and drummer Roy Draves still pounds his drums like no other, but all the rough edges of their earlier recordings have been smoothed. This is Real People as no one has ever seen them before. These guys have been around for a while - it's refreshing to hear them from a new perspective.
Album opener "Someone" could be one of the best songs Thursday never wrote... I love Real People's rhythm section; every hit and every note always seems so "deliberate." What I mean by that is, most of the time, RP is a chaotic sounding band... But the drums and bass in their songs always feel so straightforward in the best way. It leaves room for the spiraling, twangy guitar lines and Sworts' relentless howl. "Everything I Touch" is no exception - the band launches into a slow build-up mid song that proves they are more than just a snotty, melodic-punk band.
Speaking of snotty, "I Have Better Memories With My Friends" is a true highlight. Sworts sings, "We can call it a tie, you said you got what you wanted... So did I." That's just the thing about his vocals - Sworts pretty much just sings whatever he wants whenever he wants. Sometimes it reminds me of Moneen and sometimes it reminds me of La Dispute, but in reality, Real People are in a category of their own. The songs are passionate and unique. You really do have to hand it to Real People - they are a great fit in the emo/punk scene, but there really is no one else writing songs in the same way.
Last on the record is the fantastic "Downpour," which (if I'm not mistaken), Real People closed with at their CD release. It's not only a fitting end to the EP, but after the song was over at the show, it seemed like the crowd was giving the band a hard time for wanting to get off stage. These songs left them wanting more. But as for Real People... they got up on stage, they played what they wanted to, said what they had to say, and then that was it. I would have loved to see more myself, but I think that's the great thing about Real People. I have seen a hundred of their peers come and go... But they exist because they want to.
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