REVIEW: Get Scared – Best Kind Of Mess

Artist: Get Scared
Album: Best Kind Of Mess
Genre: Rock

Allow me to put this out there before I begin – if you really want to give this album a chance, don’t Google the band first. As much as I’d like to believe we’re not all judgmental skeptics (ha), the all-too-familiar guises the band seem to have adopted may irrevocably taint your opinion of them. And this would be a shame, for as much as this is image-conscious and manipulative and a bit silly, it’s actually also a lot of fun.

Best Kind of Mess opens with “Scream,” a cutting, would-be threatening track that lays the basis for all the theatrics to come. The opening guitar note is thrilling, with the vocals somehow engineered to hit the exact same note. It feels strangely epic, quite melodramatic and artsy, but very fun – there are some gorgeous, almost ethereal solos in the breakdown, and the return of the opening note after the chorus keeps everything catchy and evocative. “Fail” (all the songs have one-word titles) makes exquisite use of an ominous bell sound, aiming for portent and unease. Indeed, the lightness of the vocals is almost at odds with how sinister a sound they’re aiming for. This has the same wanton darkness and creative kick running through it, with bold and grim guitars and a suitably high-pitched and eerie breakdown. “Mess” sets the majestic ambitions to one side for a time, repackaging the music into a more everyday mould to suit the heartfelt and emotive approach. It’s simpler and less decadent and doesn’t have quite the same immediate appeal because of this, but does indicate some flourishing musical ability underneath the showmanship, which is encouraging.

“Sarcasm” makes use of the same kind of vocal samples Aiden put to such good effect on their recent album (predictably enough, the bands are touring together). The theatrics return for this one, with a beautifully irreverent and cheeky hint of showtune to underpin the verses. It’s a bit like crossing the aforementioned with old school Panic at the Disco, but please don’t let that put you off. The instruments all converge in the chorus and it gets a bit ridiculous but in the most sublime way – take care to ignore the spectacularly awful lyrics (token: “hanging by the neck before an audience of death”) and this will be much more pleasing.

Perhaps predictably, as time goes on, this gimmick does begin to wear thin but the songs remain as guiltily enjoyable as ever. “Hurt” defies a smug preceding track to open on a wave of unbridled melancholy. The chorus takes this to new levels with a huge, towering brace of sound that tests the extremes of vocalist Nicolas Matthews’ range and adds a poignant solo to emphasise the pain. “Voodoo” has a rhythmic and impulsive opening sound, confidently mixing in bewitching sound effects to add atmosphere. While not the most memorable song on the album, and perhaps a little derivative, it does suit the overall theme and the twinkling effects near the end have an appeal all their own. “Wrong” revisits the heartfelt vibe, but in a heavier manner – the verses pick up the pace after a sullen chorus set to a haunting solo. It builds to an eager and commanding finale before cutting down to an acoustic interlude.

“Moving” brings in a very Linkin Park style-wave of programming, with a slightly otherworldly lead guitar accentuating this. “Parade” revives the delusions of grandeur and theatrics, with a slightly asymmetrical rhythm and a heavy bass line leading up to the chorus. The latter is actually a little bland considering the energy pumping in the rest of the song, but otherwise, it’s a very fun piece of work. “Hate” seems to aim for a horror movie style jingle (who’d have seen that coming?) though the album ends on a simpler note with “Drown,” a slightly more vulnerable track that hints at fragility and keeps the music basic to reflect this. The sudden appearance of some gang vocals midway through undermines it slightly, but otherwise, it’s a decent and artful conclusion to the record.

I can tell you that there are many who will hate this, as tends to be the case with such wannabe forays into perilously scene territory. Yet, for all its pastiche tendencies, Best Kind of Mess is actually a lot of fun and much better than its silly lyrics and theatrical postering might suggest. Maybe the remnants of my 17-year-old emo self are too partial to this sort of thing, though I would like to address this specifically to the guy who told me via the comments on one of my reviews to go back to listening to Justin Bieber – I hope you’re so offended by the audacity of their face paint that your brain melts.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by: Grace Duffy

James Shotwell
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3 Responses to “REVIEW: Get Scared – Best Kind Of Mess”

  1. David Cubine says:

    Looking at their pictures I expected either Blood on the Dancefloor-caliber awful or a bad A Skylit Drive clone, but… it’s not that bad. Reminds me of Pierce the Veil a little bit, albeit more cliche and less energetic.

  2. If you can, I would look up “Cheap tricks and theatrics”. It’s an EP they released that show more of what the band was originally like before a label got a hold of them, much more creepy and theatrical.

  3. if you can, I would look up “Cheap tricks and theatrics”. It’s an EP they released that show much more of what the band was originally like before a label got a hold of them