Lynn, Massachusetts' own Anola's Recovery wrote emo pop tunes which could take on heightened dimensions when Darren and Brian's vocal pairings coalesced to form a kind of angst-filled force. The 2003 demo contains their classic twinkly sound which brings me back to VFWs in some north-shore-suburban town as a tween. When I received their first demo it contained only two songs, "Appendage" and "Shift", which were enough to get me hooked. Since then, somehow, extra tracks were added and the demo benefits as a result. I remember this girl got into Anola's after I did and I thought she was pretty cute. I guess both this demo and that girl symbolize innocence of being an entry-level scenester freshly discovering good local music (the term 'scenester' really brings me back).
Unfortunately that innocence doesn't hang around too often. 2005 brought about the departure of an original member of Anola's, Matt, who was quite a talented guitarist. The band managed to pick up the pieces and recorded another demo/EP at a local studio hotspot called "The Getaway Group". The 2005 EP balances rollicking craziness and emotionally charged meditations, which focused, appropriately enough, on their own lost youth. 2005 EP is better produced and offers tighter performances but the innocence and naïveté of previous years were lost.
I believe this had an impact on how they were perceived both within the local scene and how they perceived themselves. One time in 2005 singer Darren asked me which material I honestly found to be better. At the time my allegiance had lain with the original but, upon further examination, I recognize the need they felt for growth and improvement as both a band and as individuals. I now see the 2005 material as an extension of their maturation process. Unfortunately the band dissolved after this material, though their myspace [LINK] suggests otherwise.
Demo 2003
http://www.mediafire.com/?yiyezwnmudn
demo 2005
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