Bands like The Bleedin’ Bleedins will spell the death knell for the bloated emo/screamo scene. With their debut CD, “Life Without Computers,” The Bleedin’ Bleedins demonstrate that fast-paced alt-pop needn’t rely on wailing adolescent vocals nor hackneyed overdriven chord progressions in order to set pulses racing.Instead, the Boston-based trio call upon the ghosts of indie rock past to construct an array of textural and dynamic compositions that demonstrate an understated confidence and maturity. This does not mean, however, that “Life Without Computers” is your dad’s adult contemporary fare. It means that The Bleedin’ Bleedins deliver rock songs purposefully, directly and with authority.

Guitarist and songwriter Barry Kelly moved to the States from Dublin, Ireland, in 2000 and quickly became friends with singer Mike Coen. While playing in another band, Kelly met drummer/producer David Franz. The three found common ground within their varied musical backgrounds and spent the latter half of 2004 in the studio, producing “Life Without Computers.”

The band’s influences are clearly evident in songs like “Tonight” and “Darkest Day,” which feature guitar leads reminiscent of U2’s Edge during his “Boy” and “October” days. However, the comparison becomes less distinct in “Weather” and “Don’t Stop City,” which eschew the ’80s indie vibe for a ’90s RomCom soundtrack. The journey continues with “Fly Me Home,” an epic piece with a chorus that hooks you and mercilessly clutches you until the song’s denouement. I found myself playing this song again and again, as I was just not emotionally ready to let it go and move on with my life.

This factor underscores the inherent nature of “Life Without Computers.” Each song is crafted with at least one quality that effectively ensnares the listener and refuses to let go. With “Fly Me Home,” it’s lead vocalist Michael Coen’s plaintive plea to return home; with “One More Minute” it’s the layers of drums, bass, guitar and keyboard that set a feverish, multi-textured, up-tempo backdrop to Coen’s voice, compelling the listener to go along for the ride.

There are nine songs on the band’s debut CD, culiminating with “Running Again” as the final track. This song begs to be unshackled from the two-dimensional confines of the compact disc and allowed to flourish in front of a live audience. The soundtrack of a fleeing felon, a man facing the firing squad, the song leaves you breathless from the start, yet there are moments when it takes pity and allows you to catch your wind. These dynamics, peppered throughout the entire CD, keep the songs interesting and unexpected. As furiously as “Running Again” begins, it concludes contrarily softer with the melancholic strains of a piano announcing that our felon had been caught and given his last rites.
“Life Without Computers” represents a solid debut release that should garner widespread and well-deserved accolades for The Bleedin’ Bleedins. The album’s nod to the retro-’80s indie sound is a refreshing alternative to a scene mired in Blink 182 knock-offs. Producers Will Robertson and David Franz have effectively harnessed the band’s talented collaborative writing skills and channeled them into a balanced freshman offering.