Crane Operators Who Move the Moon, the recent EP from The Author and the Illustrator—Kansas City’s primary purveyors of classic DIY emo—is something to be heard by all. And by emo, I am talking about the 2013 sense of the genre, not The Used circa-2003 sense of the genre.
Though there are several emo bands bred in KC, The Author and the Illustrator are by far the most accessible. Whether or not you’re a fan of the punk scene, the indie sound, or anything in between, you’ll find solace in this 20-minute album.
A quiet, subtle fade-in brings up twinkling guitars in the debut track, “Fear.” Low, almost spoken vocals come to attention. The song picks up for a short time, before heading into “Home State,” a considerably more upbeat song.
The prominence of the bass track on all songs from this album is soothing. It isn’t often that a bass line will grasp you as it does here. The drums are sporadic but on point. Sometimes the beats don’t make sense at first, but upon closer inspection they bring the piece together. The vocal works vary between—as I mentioned—a mellow talking tone to a strained and close-to-yelling stature.
The Author and the Illustrator is growing as a band, playing more shows more recently around town. These boys definitely have a place in Kansas City, filling a niche that needed to be filled. They have a unique ability to fit on almost any bill. Listen to this album, and you’ll quickly understand.
–Steven Ervay