Together, Christopher Browder and his guitar make Mansions. Browder's newest release from Burning House Records,
Dig Up the Dead, is a heartfelt and nostalgic collection of stories.
The album, released April 5, is a follow-up to Browder's critically acclaimed first album
New Best Friends, which came out March 2009. The yearning lyrics and hopeful guitar licks create an emotional story throughout the album, which allows listeners to easily relate.
Staying true to the previous formula, Mansions did not stray far from its roots with
Dig Up the Dead , yet he hasn't received as much acclaim.
The heart-wrenching lyrics like "I burned up your letters. My memory serves me better," in "Close that Door" serve as the common theme - but the poppy beats, simple melodies, and Browder's crying vocals create an album sure to be coined as emo. And unfortunately, emo has lost its meaning over the years;
Dig up the Dead is a perfect example of why.
Browder's blunt honesty and painful reality allows each song to tell a story, but sometimes, it just crosses over into whiny lyrics. Songs about love and breakups are common, but at times, Browder's obvious emotions take over creating an album that is overall depressing -- and honestly, sometimes it's annoying.
Unless, of course, you're still into the whole emo thing.