Underwater Tiger

The debut album Where Miles Become Meaning by the alternative rock New York band Underwater Tiger is a catchy album that explores new love, love lost, finding yourself and what the hardships in life mean for one’s personal growth. Five band members’ voices can be heard within the song with lots of overlaying lyrics and delightful harmonies, giving each track multiple dimensions and layers of emotion.
The album begins with the catchy title track “Where Miles Become Meaning”, a song that starts off with just a guitar part but builds to a climax of multiple instruments and layered vocals. Underwater Tiger explained to me that this title “references the idea that your journey through life, the decisions you make, and the people you touch sort of define who you are, rather than the money in your pocket or the clothes that you wear.” With its powerful message, this song easily becomes stuck in your subconscious and is full of energy, it’s a great start to the album.

An impressive aspect of this release is the contrast between tracks. Some are catchy with strong beats and punchy vocals, others are slower with heartfelt and pleading lyrics. Despite this contrast all songs are filled with a sense of passion and high energy. It’s the beautiful vocals that really tie this album together, they are present in every track and are a distinct feature of the talented 5 piece.

Where Miles Become Meaning ends with an uplifting track titled “The Summer Came”. It is both a reflection on the themes of the album and on the personal struggles of the band members. The band describes it as a song that “really tied the album together musically and thematically” for them. This meaning translates into heartfelt lyrics and a positive outlook on what is to come. The track concludes with the hope filled line “this has only just begun”.

This release is definitely worth listening to, Underwater Tiger manages to develop a sound that is both interesting and enjoyable. Each song on the album is a pleasure both as an individual and as a part of the album. Underwater Tiger stand out from other bands with their melodic harmonies and the way in which all aspects of the album work together cohesively.

Rate: 4/5

Where Miles Become Meaning is available for purchase now right here!

Reviewed by Maddie Godfrey

(Source: noiseviolation.net) - Noise Violation

Underwater Tiger - Where Miles Become Meaning
Reviewed by: statusqu0 (07/21/12)
Underwater Tiger - Where Miles Become Meaning
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: March 27, 2012

In a musical generation obsessed with party rocking, moving like The Rolling Stones' frontman, and giving phone numbers to strangers in hopes they'll call (maybe), it's hard to get noticed as an emerging alternative rock band. Thousands of young musicians begin with dreams of becoming stars, but few have the artistry or originality to see them come true. Once in a while, however, a band comes along that breaks through this cluttered and stale landscape. Underwater Tiger prove that with talent, camaraderie, and a deep appreciation for their fans, real and inspiring music will come to life.

A quintet comprised of two sets of brothers, Underwater Tiger have deep community roots in their hometown of Horseheads, New York. Starting their musical career in small-town bars and clubs, Underwater Tiger quickly made a name for themselves with their high-energy live performances and passion and respect for their fans. Trying to fund their debut album with earnings from gigs playing cover songs proved too difficult for the band, who decided to start a fundraising campaign. In a few short months, their loyal fan base had not only met the band's goal of $3,000, but surpassed it by nearly $1,800. With this financial support, the band promised to deliver. And deliver they did. Three more videos, three singles, and one full-length album later, Underwater Tiger sit poised to attack the alt-rock scene.

The title of their debut album, Where Miles Become Meaning, directly refers to the journey they have made as a band, but goes beyond that. The title represents the idea that your decisions, actions, and interactions with others define who you are. Themes of love, heartache, happiness, and finding yourself are all present on this album, showcased by polished harmonies and powerful vocals from Matt Furstoss and Nate Miner. Underwater Tiger are no one man show; their ability to utilize talents from each member of the band is truly impressive. Each individual contributes in their own way to each song, whether it is through backup vocals, harmonizing, writing lyrics, or just flawless musicianship.

Where Miles Become Meaning is as much about finding yourself as it is about Underwater Tiger finding themselves. Each track has its own unique feel, as if the band is testing the waters of their genre before picking the warmest spot and diving in. Some tracks relying on heavy guitar riffs, while others succeed just as well with soft strums and piano notes.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, and Brand New; Where Miles Become Meaning is powerful and catchy, yet mellow and reserved. Fast-paced melodic rock complements soft emotional harmonies, creating a blend of tracks that flow seamlessly the length of the album. To say the songs are catchy would be an understatement. Where Miles Become Meaning sticks with you throughout your entire day and begs you to press that repeat button.

The album kicks off with the title track, taking advantage of all three guitars in the band, as well as all five members' vocals to deliver one of the heavier songs on the album. A smooth guitar riff runs the length of the song, which ends with a hard, jarring breakdown. The album switches gears immediately, transitioning to the slightly surreal sound of "Bones," with its pattering drum lines and echoing guitars.

"Bones" was the bands first single, and rightfully so. As one of the standout tracks on the album, it's apparent that Underwater Tiger feel comfortable here and the track feels very natural. Matt Furstoss's lead vocals shine on "Bones," while Nate Miner provides backup and harmonization. "Oh So Surreal," "The In-Between," and "Just Go" follow similar patterns of catchy choruses and the spot-on harmonizing that has quickly established itself as the band's trademark.

The beautifully intertwined ending of "Just Go" is a perfect prelude to "Shipwreck Love". Nate Miner's piano takes center stage here, matching well with Matt's higher pitch. "Dioscuri" follows, an entirely instrumental intermission, whose name derives from Greek Mythology and refers to Castor and Pollux; said to be skilled horsemen and the patrons of sailors. A nod to their hometown and to the nautical themes of many tracks on the album, "Dioscuri" is a welcome showcase of Underwater Tiger's musical talent and readies the listener for the following track, "Treading Days".

As the heaviest track on the album, Underwater Tiger experiment with their sound quite a bit on "Treading Days;" perhaps a bit too much. Musically, the track is well done, however it feels just outside of Matt's vocal personality. That's not to say the band should stray completely away from a heavier sound. Simply, in this case, Matt's vocal style just doesn't quite match up with what the song demands.

"Rocky Loves Emily" is the standout track on the album, featuring Nate's songwriting and lead vocals on the verses, with Matt providing for the chorus of the song. After hearing "Rocky Loves Emily" and how well Nate's and Matt's voices complement each other, I found myself wishing for more songs like it. Matt and Nate's vocals play off one another perfectly from chorus to verse, with Matt knocking out the higher notes while Nate cleans up the low end. This back and forth, dual lead singer style of songwriting could definitely be used to Underwater Tiger's advantage on future tracks. Musically and lyrically, "Rocky Loves Emily" is superb and is quickly becoming one of my favorite songs- yes, of all time.

The album winds down with "One November Night," a poetic and heartfelt ballad beginning with a piano solo that builds to incorporate the whole band. While maybe a bit too slow at the beginning, the song picks up at just the right time, and again, Matt and Nate's voices interweave with each other perfectly on this track.

The closing song and latest single is another personal favorite; a straight up rocker impossible to not air drum to. "The Summer Came" features vocals that are nothing short of pristine, with a punching chorus and fantastic guitar solo. "The Summer Came," "Bones," and "Rocky Loves Emily" are where Underwater Tiger belong. These three tracks are the album's heart and soul, while the rest fill in what few empty spots remain. There is no filler or fluff on this album. Every track stands strong on its own, while also balancing out one another. Nothing feels out of place, and arrangement of the tracks makes for a pleasurable listen from start to finish.

As a whole, Where Miles Become Meaning is cohesive, catchy, and as heartwarming as it is hard-rock. As a freshman effort, Where Miles Become Meaning is a spectacular start for such a young band. The group has managed to create a complex and multilayered album that is truly a team effort. Great things are in store for these five young musicians, and I can't wait to see where their talent and dedication takes them. As far as I'm concerned, this has only just begun. - Absolutepunk.net

Occasionally I AM TUNED UP gets album submissions. Publicist James Lloyd was the guy that led me to the discovery of Take One Car, a good find. Now, I usually approach album submissions with cautious optimism and since Take One Car delivered so well I gave Underwater Tiger a harder look than I might have otherwise. Lloyd delivered as a publicist again, and more importantly Underwater Tiger delivers as a band. Now, did I enjoy Underwater Tiger as much as Take One Car at first? Honestly no, but these bands are like apples and oranges. So what follows is my objective (as best I can) response to the Where Miles Become Meaning album.

Who is Underwater Tiger? They are in short, an emo influenced rock band from New York. Fans of Jimmy Eat World and the like will no doubt find things to enjoy about the record (heck, even the album art kind of recalls that of JEW’s Futures). The overall vibe of the record is precisely what the band’s moniker might indicate, however silly sounding. The music has muscle and strength to stand on its own, albeit masking a bit sometimes moody vibes, pensive lyrics, and meandering intros.


The album is definitely catchy without being cliche. Some may disagree – elements of many emo-influenced alternative rock bands pop up from time to time. Also, some might criticize the flow of the album. Rather than feeling like a complete album, Where Miles Become Meaning treads close to the “collection of eleven songs” territory. The overall quality of the tracks is enough to make me want to overlook this, but it bears mentioning. Two exceptions to the “flow” problem are “Discouri” and “Treading Days.” They sound like parts one and two of the same piece, the former sounding a bit like Jimmy Eat World’s “23″ before picking up in intensity that flows into the latter, which is three minutes of optimism that ends a bit abruptly, the band seemingly choosing the “less is more” approach. “Bones,” the single (and music video) carries a lot of power but crisper production would give the track more punch. The unknown-factor behind the band makes this forgivable (will someone take these guys on tour please? Jimmy Eat World? Further Seems Forever? Dashboard Confessional? Bueller?). More success will mean a bigger budget and better production…but I digress. Other highlights from the record include the hopeful “Oh So Surreal” and the album closer “The Summer Came.” The band also spends a couple tracks wandering into piano power-ballad territory, with moderate success.

Underwater Tiger is a talented band that is perhaps held back by an over-saturated emo-alt-rock market. The vocals, while great, aren’t terribly unique. Time should be on the band’s side, though. As a blogger that gets my fair share of middle of the road or downright mediocre submissions, I only mention the bands that are good enough to deserve it. As Underwater Tiger gets a whole review, they more than deserve it.

Score: 4/5 - I Am Tuned Up

Hailing from Upstate New York, pop rockers Underwater Tiger are fighting an uphill battle. The five piece deal in the sort of music that is certainly quite saturated at the moment, with hundreds of young bands all waiting in the wings to become the next almost big thing. Their debut album Where Miles Become Meaning is eleven polished, catchy tunes that are begging for your attention.

The record kicks off with its title track, a fairly staight up pop rock track, with a bit of an epic edge. Musically, there's quite a lot happening. 'Riff! Riff! Harmonize! Riff! Random metal scream!' would be an accurate description of the song. The band are talented and certainly know how to play their instruments, however subtlty isn't a characteristic of theirs. The vocals are quite skillfully harmonized (apart from a strange hardcore shout type thing at the end, which should immediately be killed with fire), and the children's gang vocals are quite terrifying.

"Bones" is a little more nuanced, with a chorus the size of an elephant stuck in a Twinkie factory, however it's a little slower and shows off the band's talent a little more. That's something Underwater Tiger need to work on. Whilst throughout the album, it's plain to see that they are good songwriters but the release just tries to hard to stick out and ends up sounding like a mash up of hundreds of other bands. As in, they could be called You Me At A Day To Anberlin.

It's on an instrumental track quite late in the release that Underwater Tiger suddenly sound like their own band. Adding a slight post-rock edge to what is still pop-rock, the track, "Dioscuri" manages to be emotive and gripping, even without vocals or lyrics to propel it. It shows how good they can be if they just slow down and not force it. The album's closer, "The Summer Came", is quite excellent. It has a sort of positive bounce to that only the hardest of hearts couldn't warm to it, with it's catchy chorus and semi-inspirational lyrics. It's certainly the best way they could close the record.

Overall, Underwater Tiger have 'something', it's just not fully developed yet. The release of Where Miles Become Meaning may have been a little premature, the band needs to grow. Whilst, by most bands standard the album isn't bad, if they don't find a sound that's got a bit more focus, innovation, or personality, they're going to get lost in the crowd. If they capitalize on the sparks that are evident within the record, Underwater Tiger will be ones to watch in the future. - Absolutepunk.net