Backslashes and Bad Ideas 'There's No Place Like Home' EP Review

Local Staten Island band, Backslashes and Bad Ideas, are gearing up to release their second EP, There's No Place Like Home, off of Harbor Records, November 9.

The band is:

Nick DePalo - Vocals/Guitar
Josh Crono - Vocals/Guitar
Ricky Abolt - Vocals/Guitar
Nick Colella - Bass
Ed Mone - Drums

With the musical stylings of post Tell All Your Friends, Taking Back Sunday and early Brand New, B&BI make the music of mid 2000s teenagers "mix CDs," but with updated flare for 2014.

"North By Noreaster" is a great intro instrumental track. It features nice acoustic guitar work, and a happy feel good bass line that eases the listener into what is sure to be something fantastic.


"Defend Josh's Life Choices," speak of the Devil, it's an ex-Taking Back Sunday member on a track! Fred Mascherino, former guitarist and secondary vocalist of TBS, makes an appearance on this track and fits perfectly. 

I am throughly impressed with this song for several reasons. 1) The song rocks. 2) B&BI have Fred "I've gotta bad feeling about this" on a track! 3) I prefer DePalo's vocal performance on this, and think he outshines the feature. Kudos Nick!

The next track is, "No Matter What Happens, Don't Ask Who." The opening is pretty cool because it is kind of mellow, but punky at the same time. Mone's double bass gallop throughout the song is most welcome, as is the guitars that weave in and out seamlessly.

This track has several different parts to it with the real highlight coming in the bridge over some guitar shredding and dual vocals.

"Conditions" follows, and is a perfect example of everything that is on this album. Depalo's smooth, calm vocals contrast nicely with Crono's more heavy and raspy background vocals…Then, just as you're ready to get to the end of the song, enter the female vocals!

The ending of the song is pretty awesome, three vocals going on, three distinct guitars going on, really strong start, and and even better ending to the song.

Following in vein of the last track, "Southern Tea" is an acoustic track that in its own way feels like a stripped down single reminiscent on something from Pop Goes Punk. I would love to hear this song with the full band just to gauge it. However, it is great as is!

Closing out the EP is "Wearing Thin." Shout out to Staten Island in this song! This is probably the most aggressive song of the album, and actually my favorite as well. Depalo and Crono showoff the throaty sing songy rasp scream, which makes this track all sorts of awesome. 

During the bridge Depalo speaks over a small musical break before gang vocals burst onto the scene and bring the EP home.

Backslashes again does a phenomenal job on this EP. Their sound has matured and evolved as well since the last release. The addition of the third guitar is evident as well. The drums are great, the strings are good all around, and the vocals stand up and stand out. The dual smack of DePalo's low with Crono's highs add a perfect dichotomy that this band needs.

The boys of Backslashes are making moves, and if their first EP was a step in the right direction, this one is a leap onto the highway. 

Keep up the good work fellas!

Pick up There's No Place Like Home November 9 at the Atlicic and Backslashes and Bad Ideas EP release show.

See B&BI's last review for their EP, Nothing Left to Give.