Clair De Lune - Assisted Living

The post-hardcore movement has never been defined by its use of intricate melody. On Assisted Living, however, Minneapolis quintet Clair De Lune (French for moonlight) manage very controlled elements of punk, emo and hardcore to travel well beyond simple thrash. The riffs are challenging yet explosive, and the band possesses an uncanny ability to stop on a dime and mix up the tempos while still paying attention to the vocals. They’re not even afraid to get downright symphonic, as evidenced through the string arrangements during the title track and “Winning Over Grief and Sorrow,” as well as the stunningly layered bonus tune. Don’t be fooled, though, the aggression is still there. With songs about being annoyed over the shallowness of society and how to cope with it, this is punk for those with an opinion. [www.myspace.com]