Blood Loss for an Excuse

Greg McGowan is at the helm of Time and Distance. Though the group would later be rounded out with a full band (in a progression similar to Dashboard Confessional), Blood Loss for an Excuse showcases McGowan mostly relying on just his acoustic guitar and broken heart to get through the EP's five songs. Not entirely dissimilar in style to Chris Carrabba's early handiwork, the album is absolutely primed to be put on repeat during lonely times locked in one's bedroom after school following a bitter breakup. The songs are sweet, self-indulgent little ditties about adolescent love lost. Sure, McGowan is upset and rather bitter, but clever lines thrown in like "yeah you've got cute, now I wish you'd get sane" throw some humor into the mix to help the EP's mood avoid outright forlornness. And thankfully, McGowan's voice is also not the irritating whine that so many like him boast, instead enhancing songs like the standout, emotion-fueled "Pretend You Don't Know." While there are already more than enough emo albums available to guide one through the ashes of a failed relationship via acoustic means, Time and Distance has an extra little something that suggests the ability to expand past simple heartbreak. Blood Loss for an Excuse is good starting point that will hopefully lead to even better things.