New Noise :: Gamenight

File this under "If You Haven't Heard It, It's New to You": Gamenight's long-player, Simple Starts in the Mind, came out in August 2006 on The New Beat Records (based in the group's hometown of Knoxville), and we IndieRocketeers discovered it (OK, maybe just me) when the post-emo quartet was slated to play New Brookland Tavern in December. The show was cancelled, but "Cookies for Brains" and "Progression" still live on in our iPods. (Again, maybe just mine.) Gamenight deftly straddles the line between indie rock and emo, owing as much to the guitar wizardry of post-hardcore acts like Drive Like Jehu and Bear Vs. Shark and it does the straight-forward, heart-obtusely-on-sleeve style of Braid and Hey Mercedes. The secret weapon here might be drummer Brandon Manis — Manis' solid, inventive drumming creates a perfect dynamic tension that meshes perfectly with the angular twin-guitar assault of Robby Kerr and brother Josh Manis. (Bassist Matt Presley is no slouch, either.) "Cookies for Brains" is the more accessible of the two songs here — catchy verses and choruses with a driving, Stretch Arm Strong-esque breakdown at the end. To call it fist-pumpable isn't egregious. But "Progression" might ultimately be the more rewarding listen. Starting off with a perfect post-hardcore riff that's equally dissonant and melodic, "Progression" meanders through broken jazz chords and plenty of assertive guitar licks before melting into a coda with guitar swells that echo Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" in the absolute best way possible. Perfect end-of-summer-sunset-driving tune.

Gamenight will be at the Map Room in Charleston on June 5 with fellow Knoxvillains Mouth Movements — enterprising youngsters who are interested in bringing this band to Columbia should check out gamenightmusic.com.

Gamenight Cookies for Brains
Gamenight Progression