View E-Card La Dispute is a five-piece band from Grand Rapids, MI. Most frequently referred to as Post-Hardcore (but sometimes also Progressive Rock and Screamo), La Dispute has spent roughly the last year of its existence writing and recording their first full length album, called "Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair," in hopes of accurately displaying their growth both as individuals and as a single artistic unit while creating an end product that encourages the listener to both think and feel. Drawing its title from an Asian folktale, "Somewhere" attempts to prompt discussion regarding the aspects of ourselves that prevent us from maintaining our happiness as people by documenting both their own experiences in the matter and the experiences of those around them, while musically encouraging the listener to expand their notions of music and art by exploring time signatures, tempos, dynamics, song structures, etc. The result of countless sleepless nights, exhaustingly precise recording sessions, and a diligence bordering psychosis, "Somewhere" is far and a way the bands most mature, articulate, and diverse release thus far expanding significantly upon the groundwork from its previous two short releases. Recorded at Studiotte in Grand Rapids by Joel and Troy Otte with artwork by Nick Satinover, "Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair" attempts to display an unceasing passion for art, emotion, love, community, and any other aspect of life that similarly inspires humanity to create for the better.
"These kids put out a surprising, complete and addictive debut record." - THE NEW SCHEME
"Michigan quintet La Dispute have hit their prog-core stride.. As much of a product of the current genre-defying musical landscape as the proto-creamo of the early '90s." - ALTERNATIVE PRESS
"Twelve remarkable songs is what you will find on Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair." - SWIMMERS EAR
"Musically La Dispute runs the gamut from punk to metal to metalcore and everything in between. They pretty much defy being defined." - PUREGRAINAUDIO.com
"7/10" - ROCK SOUND
"La Dispute have delivered a corrosive yet melodic album that finds mild success in drawing something new out of the more creative components of post-hardcore, modern and otherwise" - ALTERNATIVE PRESS
"Stick whatever post-core suffix you want onto this Grand Rapids, MI outfit, Jordan Dreyer's shuddering, hysterical vocals are still a descriptive keystone... there's a compelling, poetic soul at their centre." - METAL HAMMER
"La Dispute's willingness to experiment and try everything they can is a breath of fresh air amongst all the run of the mill punk bands out there." - PUNKBANDS.com
"I pretty much knew within the first minute of putting this disc on I was going to be spending a lot of time with La Dispute. With their frenzied post hardcore rock this immediately grabs your attention with great singing/screaming and discordant noise that manages to be simultaneously chaotic yet still structured with melody." - GO211.com
"This is an album in the truest sense as it slowly unfolds and each song compliments the entire piece." - SOUNDASLANGUAGE.com
"Call it post-something or whatever but these 13 songs are every bit as intense as any real hardcore album Ive heard this year!" - PUNKROCKTHEORY.com
"I hope La Dispute gets some recognition for Somewhere At The Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair. It is a good album and is different than a lot of albums of a similar nature this year." - MUSICEMISSIONS.com
"Go out on a limb and enjoy something outside of what's being pushed by the various scenes. Dive into the epic storytelling and songwriting of La Dispute!" - DECOYMUSIC.com
"This is what makes La Dispute and their debut full-length, Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair, so powerful. Calling to mind the aggressively poetic post-punk sounds of At The Drive In and mewithoutYou, this hard-hitting quintet from Grand Rapids, MI follows in the footsteps of those two modern icons with verve and intense heart. The band willfully and unapologetically projects their impassioned, angst-ridden lyrics and dual guitar onslaught at their listeners, shaking them awake from their slumber so that they might feel again, even if those feelings are quite excruciating." - DRYVETYME ONLYNE
"Somewhere at the Bottome of the River Between Vega and Altair is a record for the punk kids, the hardcore kidsits niche but despite this its a cracker. Furious and genuine there are no flies on this band, we know its not a commercial record, we know it will never breach the NME but we dont care." - SUBBA-CULTCHA
"As long as listeners dont mind the slightly obvious At the Drive In influences and the spastic nature of the vocals, it seems highly likely that they will find this album to be one of the best of the year. Get on board now, because if this is the level of quality that the groups first full length is at, I cant imagine where theyll go from here." - COSMOS GAMING
"I was really impressed with these guys last year, and this year I am utterly flattened with disbelief as to how much this band has grown. Be warned, La Dispute's sound is not for the masses." - EVILNEEDLES.com
"So we get touching spoken word cuts (Such Small Hands), technical intensity (Then Again), jazzy post-everything vibes (Last Blues for Bloody Knuckles), country twang, gang vocals, rocknroll riffs, and even the hint of a wailing brass section yet it all fits together perfectly. Best of all though, this feels like just the beginning of a brilliant career." - NEW-NOISE.net
"Beyond all the mediocrity and signing of acts that dont deserve it, I just a hope a band like La Dispute will pick up steam at least in the underground community and people will realize that this band is meant for much bigger, better things." - SPUTNIKMUSIC.com
"Compromised of ridiculously talented individuals, judgments are often cast right away based off solely the vocals, which at times have a style reminiscent of that of meWithoutYou's Aaron Weiss." - REDEFINE MAGAZINE
"There's an intensity on their album, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair that can match Sick of it All, or the first Against Me! album. It drags you in; it involves; it makes you want to shout/scream along. The vocal performance, the poetic verbal diarrhea on display Jordan Dreyer feels like a stream of intense, desperate consciousness." - PUNKNEWS.org
"Somewhere At The Bottom of The River Between Vega and Altair is an unique album that remains cohesive despite mass experimentation and is, at the end of the day, just a damn good album that begs to be played over and over and over again." - THEPUNKSITE.com
"From franticly picked guitar lines, to single note ring outs, this album is special in a way that every screamo and emo fan can appreciate, apart from the ones in guyliner and tight black pants. An album of this magnitude would probably be lost on them." - DIE SHELLSUIT, DIE!
"La Dispute and their creative and captivatingly intricate riffs as well as Jordan's very personal voice and lyrics, make this record a true gem." - SKYLINEPRESS.net
"The despondency is obvious from front-man Jordan Dreyer's performance. Slotting himself somewhere between the post-hardcore spoken verses of MeWithoutYou and the tortured chaos of screamo music." - STRANGEGLUE.com
"Throughout the destruction, pain, longing and insecurity, we are still presented with a feeling of optimism. La Dispute (led by wordsmith Jordan Dreyer, aka "The Man") have fused diversity and meaningfulness into an album that surges forward without ever looking back." - ABSOLUTEPUNK.net
"The name of this album seems deliberately inscrutable, a bit too much even considering the almost martial eclecticism of the music. Every song is played as if the world is about to end, and Jordan Dreyer's anxiety-laden vocals amplify the effect. Really. It's pretty cool." - AIDING & ABETTING
"The different vocals and quality lyrics really set this album apart from most post-hardcore albums, and you shouldn't go in expecting your average fair. La Dispute has once again wow'ed me; first with Vancouver, and now with Somewhere At the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair." - HIGHBEAM REVIEW
"Obviously, if you're into this genre, you'll eat it up, but even if you're a bitter punk fan like myself, you may be pleasantly surprised... I know that La Dispute has been a constant in my rotation." - MIDWESTERN HOUSEWIVES
"Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega and Altair is, without a doubt in my mind, the best album of 2008. Every note played and every word uttered carries a message that one cannot help, but become consumed in." - UNDERTHEGUNREVIEW.net
