House Olympics are an up and coming band in the greater emo/punk world. They’ve got enough raw ability to be great. …And My Mind Is Restless is certainly a great argument in favor of them potentially being something special. Alongside bands like Grammer, House Olympics certainly represent the continued growth of the whole punk/emo thing.
…And My Mind Is Restless is a debut EP that serves as a great introduction to the band, and a good introduction to the current crop of bands doing this sound. “Get #rekt Steve Jobs” is an instrumental intro track that does exactly what it should do. It builds. It builds and builds, and then absolutely explodes into the next song, “Tossing, Turning, Treading.“ Both songs are intense and driving. They set the tone perfectly. This is a band that is on the harder side of the emo/punk genre. There are even some post-hardcore tinges throughout. It adds a bit more dimension to the four songs. There are some production issues. “Everest” sounds a little off compared to the rest of the songs. It sounds a bit tinny. But, that is a minor quibble. The song goes right into “Super Smashed Bros,” which finishes the record on a good note.
Overall, this is an impressive debut. The only downside I see is that, no matter how good this record is, we may be hitting critical mass when it comes to these emo/punk bands. A lot of good bands are starting to fall through the cracks. House Olympics have to do something to stand out from the pack. If they keep doing work, they’ll have a chance. I hope to hear more from them soon.
Team Reasonable 