I admit cringing when I noticed the titles of You Left Me Far Behind’s two lengthy sides. The title track seems to allude to the awful alt-ballad breakout from Candlebox; the second seems to point to the Eeyore sad-as-upbeat number from the Gin Blossoms. Thankfully Harsh Vibes don’t go anywhere near either, though the sad-sack positivity has stuck. “You Left Me Far Behind” is awash in a shoegaze daze amid Liverpoolian fog. Everything feels far away, ready to emerge from the blanketing clouds with a knife or helping hand. It’s a scary proposition, but there’s no time to second guess. “I Will Follow You Down” is dirtier, cooler, and more frightening. Notes bend in stranger directions and the melody is nervous. It’s the penultimate chase through unknown back alleys. When it corners its victim at the dead end factory, the noise becomes a tense whisper before roaring back to life with one last yell before the last judgment.
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