In Pursuit of Something Interesting: Blood Banks - "Dear Tomorrow"

Blood Banks is a band that was born from the Minneapolis punk scene. Its members came from acts like Cadillac Blindside and the Dirty Hits, which were staples on college radio in the late 90s and early 2000s, and with a pedigree like that, it's easy to see why their sophomore release Dear Tomorrow feels right at home among bands that were already established staples in the punk world or hit their stride during that era. Dear Tomorrow is a release that is both familiar yet a little different, and as a follow up their 2017 debut Be Alive the band is showing they have hit their stride too.

From the first note of the prophetic intro on "Night Falls," the songs on Dear Tomorrow feel like they all tell a story of events that take place over a single night. The spaghetti western tone paints a foreboding picture that compels the listener into the earnest story of unrequited love told during the following song, "Last Night." It is this attention to detail when it comes to world building and storytelling that easily set this record apart. Themes introduced on one track are addressed on others from a different perspective. I could be reading way to far into this release, but the question posed in the chorus of "Last Night" feels like it is answered in the chorus of "The Weak and the Strong."

Dear Tomorrow really opens up and shows what its got on the B-side. The songs get more and more dynamic and Blood Banks explores their rootsy side. Whether its the drunken sing-along that is "One More" or the longing nature of "Too Far Gone," this band writes songs that you'd expect to play in your mind as the night comes to an end. The latter of the two songs builds from longing into defiance that makes you feel as if it is not over just yet. There's an audible sneer from the vocalist during this track that really adds to not just the tone of the track but the whole record.

This release is unabashed and unapologetic in what it is. It picks up where their debut leaves off and includes a densely written overall narrative. This is definitely one of those releases where sitting down and playing from start to finish is the best way to listen to it. You almost miss something when picking and choosing or just throwing it in a playlist.

Dear Tomorrow was released almost two months ago on January 17, but the band officially celebrated its release last week. If you haven't given it a listen, I would definitely recommend checking it out as well as Blood Banks debut Be Alive.