Meet Crossing i’s dotting t’s- review for “I Used To Be ___”
Crossing i’s Dotting t’s is back with their brand new LP, I Used To Be ___. The emo-ggressive alt rock band from Southern California debuted in 2021, with their first single “Dissatisfied.” Since then, they have been tapping into more personal themes such as grief and mental health struggles in their newest release.
I Used To Be is the band’s first full length album, and member Matt Mucerino has stated that this LP was inspired by the passing of his cousin and best friend, who fought a battle with cancer.
The first track is titled “Would You Speak?” and is an intense intro off the bat. Though the instrumental is quite heavy and intense, we’re hearing softer vocals in juxtaposition. About a third of the way into the song, these lighter vocals take a turn and we shift to a louder, more angrier scream. This shift is imperative to the track itself because it really allows the listener to feel the emotion and the full story that we’re being told through the song. The lyric “would you speak / when no one’s listening” is really an ode to the song through and through, and this lyric being one that is screamed gets that message across.
Up next we have “All Feelings Aside,” which starts out with a more laid back, slower tempo, along with a mellow vocal. The track is accompanied by an electric guitar and drums that are carried throughout it, even when it picks up and becomes more intense. In addition, the harmonies in the second half of the song tap into that more emotional aspect as well.
Track three is titled “Far Away.” I felt as though this song had a particularly strong vocal, and deeper emotions throughout. There are moments where we’re taken down into a more classic rock approach, and I felt like this track breaks up the album quite nicely. Moving onto the next two tracks, “Vacant House” and “Drown,” I feel like we’re really tapping into the true depth of this album as a whole. Lyrically, these two songs are both delving into topics relating to personal struggle and grief, particularly the sense of longing for someone that isn’t around anymore, but not being able to control that feeling of missing them as if they were still here.
Up next, track six, titled “Overworked And Underused” has a really nostalgic punk-emo feel. Upon my first listen, I immediately imagined it in an early two thousands coming-of-age soundtrack. The chorus is extremely catchy, along with the backing vocals that completely transform and complete the song in my opinion. This track was definitely a personal favorite, and I’m sure that it will become a fan favorite as well. The next song “Nada” starts out more mellow, but gradually builds into a beautifully heavy track, all the while still keeping up with the slower tempo. We’re hearing about mental health struggles in this track, which often tends to become more of a taboo topic. The lyrics, along with that slower tempo that caught my ear allow the listener to really take in all of the lyrics that are being sung. I think that the decision to make this song a slower one was a smart move for that reason.
The penultimate track, titled “You,” begins with a strong guitar riff, with subtle vocals that carry into the drum synth. The chorus of this song is definitely a standout from the album for me. It’s extremely catchy, and the lyrics are brilliant, complimenting the instrumental breakdown that is the bridge. That brings us into the final track, “Circles,” which is the perfect album closer. The isolated vocal at the start had me anticipating a strong chorus, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how strong it actually is. The instrumental of this song is undoubtedly the best out of the preceding tracks, and production wise, this song was mastered perfectly.
Crossing i’s Dotting t’s brand new album I Used To Be ___ is out now, and available on all streaming platforms!
