Come Widdit: A Loss for Words

A Loss for Words
From: Boston
Sounds Like: A campfire singalongs with the hXc crowd

I had the opportunity to see Boston upstarts A Loss for Words last week when they opened for Four Year Strong's current headlining run. Personally, it's difficult to sell me on a pop-punk band these days. They all seem to have some gimmick, which is typically highlighted by disgustingly designed bright t-shirts. For every five bands that seem like they're full of shit, there's a band like A Loss for Words, who thrive off of the kind of honesty and earnest aesthetic that has created longtime careers for third and fourth wave pop-punk bands like New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio and Lawrence Arms.

Taking a cue from likeminded bands such as Fireworks and First to Leave, A Loss for Words have their feet planted in the hardcore-cum-pop-punk, as showcased by former genre stalwarts like Lifetime and Gorilla Biscuits. And this was just their live show.

The EP that I picked up, "Webster Lake," reminded me of stuff that the Ataris used to do when they were good. The five track acoustic EP is just a smattering of the band's potential. To get the full effect, you have to watch them engage with the crowd and you can see that they're feeling what they're singing about.

This is a band that you don't want to miss out on.

[Related Links]
A Loss for Words -- MySpace
A Loss for Words, "Hot Hand in a Dice Game"