'Hollow' EP lives up to its name

New EP from Digital Summer gets cool rebuff for bland sound

 by Tye Rabens
 published on Monday, March 24, 2008

Please don't misunderstand: I'm a firm supporter of local music.

Phoenix, especially considering its size and diversity, has lacked much of a successful arts scene for its entire history. So, in general, I support any effort to form a band and make music in this largely unreceptive metropolis. Therefore, I give local artists Digital Summer due credit for achieving the level of success the band has in this environment.

However, I'm also a firm supporter of good music, and Digital Summer's most recent EP special release "Hollow" simply isn't. Fans of Digital Summer's 2007 "Cause and Effect" will probably enjoy the two a six-track CD of new and original material and a DVD featuring music videos, live performances and other behind-the-scenes material. In fact, "Hollow" is probably the realization of diehard fans' prayers.

The musical content will probably fail to win over any new listeners, though, because of one unfortunate fact: It's boring. Digital Summer sounds like every other anguished acoustic act pining away.

This current trend seems to be especially true of any Phoenix band that manages to achieve success (for example, The Format). In fact, the album credits of "Hollow" mention the influence of fellow local alt-pop act Jimmy Eat World, as well as A Perfect Circle and Gin Blossoms.

It's too bad that Digital Summer doesn't try harder to advance past their influences, because this EP comes off as largely uninspired. Two of the six tracks ("Whatever it Takes" and "Suffocate") are just acoustic re-releases from "Cause and Effect."

However, the band shows some potential in the first half of the EP — "Use Me," the first of four new tracks on "Hollow," actually has some catchy and fairly engaging guitar riffs.

Digital Summer becomes even more formulaic as the release progresses, with the single "Rescue Me" offering nothing but a flat chorus and empty drum beats. "Worth the Pain" is the last and worst song on "Hollow."

Ever wanted to know what Linkin Park would sound like if they were on a lot of Nyquil and thinking about calling the girl who broke up with them on prom night?

Me neither, but now I do, thanks to the adolescent "Worth the Pain" which expertly combines soft-rock ballad instrumentals with synth-echo vocals that are littered with self-pitying lyrics.

Sorry, Digital Summer, but I just can't stomach another band that earnestly releases a song with the line, "Buried beneath this hollow shell of mine/The self-inflicted state of it is killing me inside."

"Hollow" will taste bland to the palate of most music lovers seeking an inspired local act.

Reach the reporter at: trabens@asu.edu.