“The Only Way” is the first track; starting out slow and ethereal with an organ lingering in the intro and then transitioning to a killer vocal harmony and entirely different tempo by the end of the song. The lyrics are nostalgic; “Well I miss you my friend/ Well we miss you our friends/ But we are home” and “These broken stems help us breathe” followed by a guitar solo has the listener hooked by the end of the first track. The second song, “Around The Bend,” has a sound closer to indie/folk mixed with vocals seemingly inspired by bands like 311 and Sublime.

 

A slide guitar intro backed by slow piano melodies and echoing vocals in “Maybe” slows this EP back down to allow the lyrics to engross the listener; “Maybe I'm onto something good/ Maybe I left when I never should/ Well I walked right into the fire/ And I'm never getting out.” When the last words of “And I won't, no I won't ask for your help/ And I wish you never saw” are screamed out it's nearly impossible not to feel the anguish as “And I wish you never saw” is repeated, it's heart wrenching.

 

The last two tracks, “Climb Down” and “Castle” are two sides of a coin. They both offer haunting vocals and dramatic breakdowns. But while “Climb Down” has a waltz-like tempo, “Castles” has a darker electric guitar feel with bass lines that stand out from the rest and are coupled with lighter guitar riffs throughout.

 

The Broken Stems are currently touring through southern California. Check out their website where you can download or buy We Are Home (I definitely did), and keep up with them on Facebook and Bandcamp.