Album Review: Misser - 'Every Day I Tell Myself I'm Going To Be A Better Person'

Misser started out as a side-project of Transit guitarist Tim Landers, but in time has turned out to be much, much more. With the addition of This Time Next Year guitarist Brad Wiseman and the release of their debut EP “Problems. Problems. Problems.”, the two hinted at what potential they have together as a songwriting team, and on their Rise Records debut album “Every Day I Tell Myself I’m Going To Be A Better Person”, they have well and truly stepped up to the mark.

The acoustic track “Permanently” opens up the album, and along with the other acoustic track “Sanity”, is one of the only weaker moments on the entire record. “Permanently” served well in the first video teaser that the band posted online, but never really lives up to being just that. All is forgotten once “Time Capsules” kicks in, as it is one of the strongest tracks on the record. The track has a great chorus, and shows how well Landers and Wiseman can both sing, something that has always been evident in both of their main bands. “Bridges” is the first track that Landers wrote outside of Transit when he was 17, with the re-recording on the album being absolutely light years ahead of the first demo released, making it a worthy inclusion on the album.

Two of the tracks from the “Problems. Problems. Problems.” EP, “Just Say It” and “She Didn’t Turn Out To Be That Cool” were re-recorded and included on the album, and although there aren’t too many differences, the production is definitely a bit better, but since they were already good songs, they didn’t need too much tweaking. The first song to be released online from the album, “Weightless”, has a strong 90’s rock vibe to it, and features quite a few well written guitar parts by Landers. The track shows off the pair’s vocal interplay at its best, and is definitely a good starting point for someone who has yet to be introduced to the band. “I'm Really Starting To Hope The World Ends In 2012” is written about the increasing dislike that Landers has for TV, radio and pop culture, and despite the lyrical content, is actually one of the more accessible songs on the record. It is also where Landers sings at his highest, showing that he has rather an impressive range.

“Stay Asleep” is the slowest track on the record, and it is where Landers shows off his always improving vocals, with them sounding the best they ever have on this track. If you wanted a song with a bit of aggression, “I’m Sick” is that song, with Landers punching out the line “fuck you and fuck them, I'm over it”. Containing the heaviest guitar tone heard on the album, “Bad News” is the track that is most reminiscent of the latest Transit record, especially in the lead guitar part at the beginning and the Landers’ vocals in the bridge. Closing out the record is “The Waits”, a track where it has all come together for the band, summing up the record well and containing dashes off all the things that have made the record an impressive one.

It’s a shame that Misser is a band that will never do too much due to the busy schedules of both members, because they have produced a great record in “Every Day I Tell Myself I’m Going To Be A Better Person”, one that is without a doubt one of the better albums released so far in 2012. One of my favourite things in both Transit and This Time Next Year has always been the back up vocals provided by Landers and Wiseman, so it is great to have a full record where they are on display the entire time.

1. Permanently

2. Time Capsules

3. Bridges

4. Weightless

5. Just Say It

6. I'm Really Starting To Hope The World Ends In 2012

7. Reconnect This

8. Stay Asleep

9. Bad News

10. She Didn’t Turn Out To Be That Cool

11. I’m Sick

12. Sanity

13. The Waits