For decades, the concept of the American Dream has felt like an immutable entity that burst into existence fully formed. But even those concepts that get hammered into society until they become inescapable cliches were constructed from a distinct sociopolitical perspective-a breakdown in the system that post-punk outfit Seriously pick at on their latest, Built Environment, due TK via Earth Libraries. ""There are inherent inequities woven into the American Dream, in the ways it was designed, how it was sold to us,"" insists bassist/vocalist Chayse Porter. ""We want to pull back the curtain on the complacency, vanity, and follies of rugged individualism that sprawl through the suburbs.""The band's careful push and pull between the voices and the synths and drum machine add a layer of steady momentum. More than a musical choice, that iconoclastic duality is drawn directly from the trio's lived experiences. All three members of Seriously were born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, though Porter now splits time in San Francisco, and the album draws it's themes from the increasingly entangled dualities of that journey: past and present, North and South, and relentless capitalism and the hope of the DIY scene, where all three have spent years managing venues and art spaces, booking shows, and playing in bands. ""Built Environment observes the insularity that technology introduces, the frailty of modern landscapes, and the manufactured dependencies we all crave-what we now know as the American Dream,"" Porter explains.Seriously deliver that subtle pang in a starry night tableau, flashes of whistling, glistening harmonies, and shimmering guitar. In that way, Built Environment draws the listener in closer and closer only to reveal that the one twisting the knife has been yourself all along.1. Dark Room2. With Delight3. Monument4. No Salvation5. The Architect6. What If the Dream Comes True?7. Built Environment8. Under the Boot of God
