The five members of Days Away would never propose to understand the puzzling entirety of love. Rather, like only the young and daring can, they navigate as blindly and sensitively as their limited experience will allow: knowing full well that they’ve already seen plenty, but knowing equally that there is an indefinite amount about love to find out. Years of this confident but cautious approach have resulted in the emotional foundation lying beneath the song repertoire of Days Away’s current release. "The Feel of It" EP, one of the fruits of the relationship between the Langhorne, PA-originated band and Orange County-based label We The People Records, was released in January 2002 and features the collective story of five boys in love-laid against the backdrop of tainted teen earnest and set to the tune of sensitive, impassioned, rock-based guitar pop.
This is, of course, not uncharted territory. Slews of we’re-not-emo-bands bearing many of the same influences (think emulators of Jimmy Eat World, Mineral, Sunny Day Real Estate) as well as more pop-based acts have all respectively done their shares of heart lamentation and affection declaration with ample enthusiasm. What Days Away uniquely has to offer, though, is a sincerity and zeal that can only come with being eighteen or nineteen (none of the members have hit age twenty) and having strong musical backgrounds just about as old (each comes from a music-oriented family and has played at least one instrument for their whole life).
This combination is what makes it possible for singer Keith Goodwin to moan “She must have read my mind/ ‘cause I feel fine” with boyish delight on the EP track “She Knows My Name,” an innocent celebratory tune later balanced out by the domineering guitar riff and bold, accusatory tone of the track “Easier Said Than Done.” The music is strong but sensitive, inquisitive but not naïve: songs to relate to rather than be intimidated by.
Live, the band is similarly approachable: Goodwin is animated, cross-stepping across the stage out of both delight and passion while rhythm guitarist Matt Robnett ball-changes back and forth on his toes, even while pounding out power chords. Lead guitarist Matt Austin and bassist Chris Frangicetto often exchange shy smiles and knowing glances as they create synced rhythms with drummer Matt Haines. This chemistry is likely what garnered them first place at a Philadelphia battle of over five hundred bands in 2001 or an instant following in Orange County that ultimately incited them to relocate from Langhorne.
"The Feel Of It" EP in hand and currently stationed in Garden Grove, CA, Days Away appears to be approaching their new life in signature fashion: confidently and cautiously, with specific ease.
“We’re really just feeling our way though right now,” says Goodwin deliberately.
How appropriate.
-Diana Nguyen 2002
