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action|attack|helicopter
- November 2002
From Fort
Wayne, Indiana, comes what is probably the best truly independent, unsigned
act in the state. Yeah, we've got Mellencamp, Songs: Ohia, Suicide Note and
more, but Dead Letter Auction are truly indie artists, releasing much of
their material on their very own [excursions into the abyss] label. This
four piece has toured the U.S. four times and had more than ten lineups. The
seven songs they recorded for this EP were done at Echo Park studios (Mellencamp
does a lot of his work there) in Southern Indiana. With a firm root amongst
three vocalists (although Damien does the predominant work) and brooding,
personal lyrics, Dead Letter Auction's plan of attack has them utilizing
roots in hardcore and *true* emo (don't even think of Dashboard
Confessional). Damien's vocals may come across as awkward upon the first
listen, but with such deliberately honest contributions from the lyrical
department, they shouldn't be done in any other style. The best description
is to say they are forcefully sung/spoken. Dead Letter Auction has
diversified their style since their founding four years ago. They're much
more comfortable in using melodies and dynamics and while they used to be
much harder, now the band has learned how to best utilize the hardcore
screams and harsh guitar tones at just the right moment in order to best
amplify their emotional intent. Much of their current material is
reminiscent of Ebullition and Gravity Records releases, with perhaps some
400 Years thrown in for good measure. Listening to **Vertigo**, I found what
is no doubt one of the most exciting and original bands (especially live)
not only from Indiana, but in the U.S. Kurt Morris
Action Man Magazine –
January 2003
I can't help but wonder if Dead Letter Auction have listened to the
Van Pelt, whose album Sultans of Sentiment would be considered
one of the best emo records ever, had pop bands like Jimmy Eat World
and the Get Up Kids not been lumped into the genre. See, the Van Pelt
were on the artier side of Emosville: minimal guitar clangs gave way
to spoken prose, often becoming bursts and shouts but never leaning
toward pop music. Dead Letter Auction have been compared to screamo
bands like Portraits of Past, and they've been called hardcore a
number of times as well. Either Vertigo marks a big departure
for the band, or most zine writers just haven't heard the Van Pelt.
Of course, it's entirely possible that Dead Letter Auction combined
elements of hardcore, spoken/sung lyrics and textured minimalism and
arrived by chance at a place which other bands had already visited.
Everything on Vertigo is sincere, but not forced; intelligent,
but not too cerebral. Keyboards bubble around the surface in places,
recalling Joy Division without breaking the mood set by the album's
heavier moments. The lyrics teeter between abstract and political,
which is a hell of a lot better than singing about April memories
holding hands or some shit.
All in all, you'll like Dead Letter Auction if you like the Van Pelt.
If you've never heard of either, you should still give Vertigo
a spin if you're hungry for some moody post-hardcore.
Paul J. Lombardi
Calamity project
- December 2002
indiana's dead letter auction unleashes this 7 song EP on excusions into the
abyss. i've heard this band be called screamo, but they're more or less
somber, straight up indie. the songs on this EP are a collection of dark
indie/pop songs that are laden with melodies and catchy rhythms and hooks.
the one thing i like about this band the most is that their sound reminds
me of saetia's mellow parts, and has build ups like portaits of past. i
guess you can call this stuff screamo in a sense, but it's more of an indie/emo/pop
sound in my opinion. the songs on the record tend to pull emotions out of
you, and move you. dark, brooding melodies and rhythms keep you hooked from
start to finish.
definitely a must have for anyone who's a fan of dark indie/pop/emo, or a
fan of screamo's more mellow parts. an excellent listen, and worth checking
out.
Collective
Zine - April 2003
I remember getting a 7" a while back by these guys and it was a pretty
cool screamy emo type thing. Well, obviously they have gotten bored of
screaming a lot, like Engine Down and 12 Hour Turn and all those other dudes
who started making indie rock once their voices got too fucked up or
something. Well, Dead Letter Auction may have stopped yelling but they still
make some pretty interesting music. It is melodic and has a fairly spacey
flavour to the guitars, which works quite nicely. This really does make me
think of that kind of more recent Lovitt Records sound (if there is such a
thing) and over the 7 tracks here, Dead Letter Auction have done a decent
job. They mix up the instrumentation and it sounds as though there may be
some strings on here at times although it is difficult to tell. Adds to the
atmosphere mind you. The vocals go from sung to this strange kind of
monotone sing-shout, that is a terrible description I know but you'll have
to put up with it. Overall this is a solid effort that I can enjoy but I
doubt I would come back to it too often. If you like things like the newer
Engine Down or Bats and Mice you might want to check this out. - andy malcolm
Stickfigure -
May 2002
Dead Letter
Auction “Vertigo” cd (excursions into the abyss) - Indiana’s dead letter
auction have been listening to a lot of radiohead over the past year. While
there are definite traces of their mid 90’s screamy hardcore sound from
their earlier releases, dead letter auction have successfully melded those
influences with radioheadesque pop hooks and pop melodies, complete with a
dual vocals that play off each other very well.
Invisibleyouth.com - December 2002
This is a nice
indie rock band that kicks out some well-written jams. With jams that sound
somewhat similar to Modest Mouse and Portrait at times, DLA pulls off some
very welcomed dynamics and a mix of vocals between singing and very
occasional screamed vocals.
Pucknation -
March 2002
Score: 7 (of ten)
i heard this band compared to Portraits of Past. Although that comparision
isn't completely inaccurate, Portraits of Past had this insane energy that
would just boil over into complete rage, and while Dead Letter Auction
never really acheives that. They do sound like Portraits of Past in their
build-ups, they just never take them as far as they could. However, they are
still a good band, and totally stand on their own. i would definitely
suggest this band to anyone that has liked the emo records that Ebullition
has put out over the years. Shaun Ketterman
Popshot -
September 2002
There seems to be a lot of fuss over the freshest New York band. The dopest
too. Dead Letter Auction are probably not aware of this. They play
mid-tempo screamo with political and personal lyrics, sloppy rhythms, and
High School sweetheart guitar work. Perfect for days when you woke up late
and walked into the living room to find a note from your boyfriend telling you
that he and your best friend are moving to Saigon to head up Wal-Mart's new
sweatshop. Tyler McDaniel
X-Mist: -
January 2003
7 songs in 25 minutes by this band from Indiana, playing somewhat
alternative indie-rock with an emotive inner tension... so this band can be
filed somewhere in between bands like SAETIA or PORTRAITS OF PAST, and
MODEST MOUSE or RADIOHEAD on the other side! really well-done!
Heartattack #35 - August 2002
Dead Letter Auction play mid tempo rock with spoken/shouted vocals that
are too loud, of course. The music is competently played and well
recorded. They slow down and speed up here and there. The lyrics are
personal and introspective. Steve Snyder Razorcake #12
- February 2003
I had almost forgotten that shoegazing could sound like this, probably
because I sold every last noise-pop record I ever owned that was this
horrible to a record store which pandered shamelessly to Anglophilic Britpop
fans who wore their bangs in their eyes, boys and girls alike. This is rock
for the no self-esttem set, music for people who long for records that were
released 12 years ago but still want to pretend to keep up with the times.
While I'm sure the band would call this emo (and they'd be right if they
were referring to self-indulgent shit in musical form), it has still been a
long time since I've heard a record which is singularly this awful,
regardless of the genre. On the bright side, I've always wanted an orange
coaster. Puckett
here's a review that's in german!
this is google's transalation: (which is confusing , if not humorous)
Evaluation: 
At a time these days, those dark and full with precipitation are reach me
these CD of DEAD TYPE CHARACTER AUCTION. As fitting, I thought as I the CD
for the first time through-heard myself...
From away Wayne/Indiana come DEAD TYPE CHARACTER AUCTION, which already
formed itself 1998 to volume. As the first publication they brought a D.I.Y.
demo CD out, rockten with approx. 125 Shows and four routes the United
States. A 7"-ep "Romancing the Actors" followed after Excursions Into The
Abyss. Now thus the third plate of the four Americans!
DLA go in music with clear, minimalistic guitars a tacken toward THE CURE.
Key board effects, very melancholische & melodioese guitar work (m.
Choruseffekt) refer to it. Straight with the second Song "From A Forest ton
of The Sea"...
In addition, the songs could be compared by structures and sounds with those
by Van Pelt, Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Les Savy Fav. Sometimes the inclined
working singing will be responsible for the latter, which is nearly always
mehrstimmig by the way. Generally one speaks probably here rather of the
alternative Indie skirt, mixed with Wave.
The melodies work sometimes very slowly-acting (necessarily not meant
negative) & very melancholisch. That does not mean however that DEAD TYPE
CHARACTER AUCTION can come out not also from itself, because with/two Songs
can be them also in parts times a little screamy... Nevertheless: I would
have wished myself nevertheless somehow with the Durchhoeren more
alternation wealth. The sound was almost perfectly taken up and merged
brilliant and. As said, I had my problems with these CD because of the
relative monotonousness. After I belonged it to me now however three to five
times, I can say: "the album has which!" |
