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Sorority Noise

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    "I donÕt want to be in an emo band anymore," proclaims Sorority Noise frontman Cameron Boucher. "But I have no problem with people calling us that, because in the strictest of senses, we are an emotionally driven band." That, is Sorority Noise in a nutshell: part of a movement, but also discrete and determined to break free from the pack. Truth be told, the Connecticut-based quartet Ñ Boucher, guitarist/vocalist Adam "Scuff" Ackerman, bassist/vocalist Ryan McKenna and drummer Charlie Singer Ñ have always operated a little differently than most of their peers. For starters, Boucher attends the University of Hartford for jazz saxophone and music production, while guitarist Ackerman studies acoustic and upright bass. But itÕs not just their unorthodox musical chops that set the band apart in the underground punk scene. With the release of their Topshelf Records debut, Joy, Departed, Sorority NoiseÑrecently named one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2015 by Alternative PressÑare poised to break out in a big way. ItÕs clear from the opening track, "Blissth," which creaks and swells like the best of Brand NewÕs softer side; the buoyant energy and self-reflection of first single "Art School Wannabe," featuring Modern BaseballÕs Jake Ewald; the Pinkerton-era Weezer stomp of "Nolsey;" and the heartbreaking, album-closing "When I See You (Timberwolf)." Joy, Departed is more than just the best iteration of Sorority Noise to date; the album also marks a creative shift for Boucher, who draws musical influence from a diverse crop of acts spanning Regina Spektor and jazz trumpeter Chet Baker to The Smiths and Broken Social SceneÑand previously spent time fronting screamo band Old Gray. In some ways, the singer says he approached the creative process like writing his very first album. [Before this record], everything was just scattered songs IÕd been working on for two or three years," Boucher explains. "Without having an outlet to put them out, I was just sitting on them. WeÕd pull a song out and jam it and put it on an album. Same with the lyrical content: It was spread over a much larger time. Going into this record, IÕd used up all of my old songs. Joy, Departed was written over a three-month period of my life. There are points where I look back and look forward, but itÕs definitely more lyrically focused on a set time and experience in the present. ThereÕs a sense of cohesion on this record." Boucher started Sorority Noise in late 2013 with friends as an outlet to explore musical styles outside his work in Old Gray. The group then recruited Ackerman and issued their debut full-length, Forgettable, in May 2014. Much buzzÑand tours with buzz bands Modern Baseball and The Hotelier Ñ followed, as did a split 7" with Somos and the arrivals of Singer (whom Boucher had played with in Old Gray) and McKenna. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Joy, Departed is BoucherÕs candidness, addressing heavy lyrical topics some of his peers wouldnÕt dream of covering. Look no further than "When I See You (Timberwolf)," which paints the forlorn portrait of a close friend spiraling through the throes of addiction, a situation Boucher saw manifest itself in his own life. "ItÕs about someone getting over drug issues while another person falls into it," the singer says. "ItÕs like, ÔHow could you let this happen to yourself after youÕve seen what the people you love went through?Õ" "Charlie went through years of opiate problems, and I went with him at points," Boucher continues openly about his bandmate. "WeÕre both 100% percent fine now, but thereÕs so many people having drug problems Ñ and a lot of bands who play it safe and donÕt want to talk about it. I think itÕs important to be shown in modern music. I like to be honest about my past and talk about things that have had me down. As a lyricist, you are responsible for the people who care about your music." ThatÕs ultimately what makes Joy, Departed such an important album: ItÕs life, warts and all, sung by someone whoÕs experienced it firsthand. ItÕs not always rosy, but itÕs real. Above all, itÕs an album meant to be experienced as a body of work, not single songs plucked piecemeal or shuffled on a streaming service. And for Boucher, he hopes it will show critics and fans alike Sorority Noise has something to say. "The pomp and circumstance that comes with the bastardization of depression in emo music Ñ the entire song broken into one lyric, into one Tumblr post, and having that represent the band? I donÕt want that," Boucher concludes, circling back to his earlier point. "I want someone to put on a whole record and connect to it that way. I donÕt intend to write a line thatÕs a tattoo lyric or something that could be deciphered easily. The emo culture has a tendency to adapt itself to that, and I want to be more than that."

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    facebook.com/sororitynoise
    twitter.com/sororitynoise
    topshelfrecords.com/roster/sorority-noise
    instagram.com/sororitynoise

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