Maximum Rock N Roll #280 - September 2006
You remember when people started talking about "post-hardcore"? Didn't it sound like the most ridiculous genre description you ever heard? This band of Brooklyn-ites (who are all in, or have been in, punk bands like RINGERS and BENT OUTTA SHAPE) have adopted the sound of those 90's bands who "outgrew" hardcore, which is code for "we're going to copy Fugazi". Some of this is pretty urgent and dynamic, some of it meanders pointlessly reminding me of the worst excesses of HOOVER. Although it sounds like I'm not digging this, I actually think it's pretty good, and hopefully you'll know from this review whether it's your cup of tea or not. - (AM)

Punknews.org
Brian
I would need a crate of appendages and a team of well-skilled surgeons in order to count on fingers and toes the number of post-Fugazi releases I've gotten in the mail this year. While none of them are particularly bad, there's a few standing up and poking their nose out of the rest of the crowd. One of those is United States, whose 8-song debut full-length is also the most authentic-sounding; you'd swear this came straight from the Dischord catalog circa early `90s. While some might take that and read it as accusations of a dated sound being produced by US, it's actually a pretty cool trait.
Again, yes, there are a mere 8 songs here, but they total out at just under 33 minutes, which means United States provide very little filler and instead a tight, small collection of jagged, rough and tumble post-hardcore tunes. One of the especially notable moments would be towards the end of the opener and title track, a raucous and repeititve but surly chant of "there's a reason / why I'm tense!." It's moments like these that really propel the disc, even though their quieter, more sedated offerings provide the necessary counterpoint ("Grand Stand").
Thing is, even with how time-specific Divorce Songs seems to be, United States definitely bring out their Cursive influences at points. "Thanks for Nothing" surely seems like that band's early-to-middle era, coughing up bags of gravel with every yell and guitar squalls at every corner.
We talk about bands being influenced by other bands, but record labels are definitely influenced by other labels, and if Iron Pier continues a developing nod towards Dischord as it marches on, punk/hardcore fans will be all the more grateful.
3.5 Stars

Bystander Fanzine.com
Scott J
United States play catchy post hardcore. The song writing can be compared to Fugazi, with anthem-like lyrics and song arrangements. High-energy music that makes you want to dance, but there is enough passion and emotion to give it depth. Some of the intros are a bit long, but add to the dynamics of the song structure. The stand out, “Grand Stand,” is a slow-paced track with a driving bass line and an awkward but interesting guitar lead that reminds me of Cursive.
The best part of this record is the recording. The guitar sound is awesome, not overly produced. The drum recording is low fi, which ads to the feel of the record. Bass is prevalent, very dark and distorted sound for the style.
While United States play music that is more “indie” then “punk”, there are enough rough edges that someone in the hardcore scene can appreciate it. “Divorce Songs” is a strong release from a band that has a bright future.

Wrankmusic.com
Steve
Blending elements of punk, hardcore, dirty rock, and indie, United States his us with Divorce Songs, an eight track, thirty two minute LP that dabbles with experimentation enough to dub this post-punk at its most definitive. Vocal styles range from narrative to concussive. Guitars both penetrate, and orbit. The drums punish always. Together, this band covers a broad spectrum, calling to mind bands like Bear vs Shark, and At the Drive-In while channeling Sonic Youth, Sebadoh, and Cursive in the process. Sub Pop, pay attention.
The full record doesn't offer much by way of diversity, but with United States, we're not talking about reinventing the wheel. United States is raw, unrefined music for people of the same nature. The songs feature simple guitar leads (the simplest being found in the second track, West River), with vocals often being the driving force of the songs. And the vocals almost never stand alone, especially in the chorus which offers at least two people screaming along the hook with lead singer. To picture their live show is to call to mind a late night at CB's on a crowded stage with kinetics bouncing everywhere. And the crowd goes wild, or does not give a fuck, but United States are always on.
With innovation reigning supreme in the music world, it's good to see that this band has kept it old school, and still able to provide an interesting dynamic that still keeps their voice from sounding like an illegitimate attempt at rehashing the classics. Divorce Songs is a very strong LP.
The Verdict: 8/10

Acclaimed Punk.com
By Corey Schmidt
If there’s one thing that I’ve noticed as a reviewer regarding mid-90’s-influenced post-hardcore it’s that it is usually widely accepted by critics. Every now and then, a few of these releases will pop-up among the plethora of “scene” releases, offering the critic in question a break from the norm. Almost always can you find hints of Quicksand or Fugazi in these albums that are recorded with a sense of raw edge and energy. One of the latest bands taking us back to that time period is Brooklyn’s United States. On their debut album for Iron Pier titled Divorce Songs, the quintet strives to make the most of their post-hardcore and they most definitely hit the mark.
With eight songs that eclipse the thirty-minute mark, this disc handles more like a full-length than an EP. From the dissonance found in tracks like “Divorce Songs” and “Radio On” to the melodic, single-chord plucking found in “Apartments”, United States surely cover the spectrum of the genre they play. Perhaps even more spot-on are the vocals which are often distorted, shouted, and sung in gritty tones. This is heard best in the surprisingly catchy “West River” where a great guitar lead pushes the song forward above those signature vocals, ending in a bitter chant of “not such a novel idea after all”. “Depression” is the band’s best attempt at dance-y post-whatever as the drum and bass section of the band over-power the guitars for once, offering a feet-moving rhythm that is a first for the band. The rhythm highlights don’t end there, however, as you’ll hear a great drum lead in the song “Absentee Ballot”. The guitars steal the show in this track as they have a style that reminds me a lot of the short-lived Despistado. All in all, the songs on Divorce Songs are surely worth the listen, especially if you’re the kind of person that seeks raw energy and emotion over slick, over-produced nothingness.
3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks:
“Divorce Songs”
“Absentee Ballot”

Mammoth Press
Time warp records are always a welcome find in my mailbox. You know, those records that sound like they’ve been lost in the mail for ten years and just now got to you? Divorce Songs is one of those records. It’s 8 songs are chock full of the grimy melody and dancing time signatures that made bands like Jawbox and Fugazi must haves for every mix tape between 1995 and now. While 8 songs may sound like a short musical snack the record still clocks in at around 33 minutes so there’s plenty to chew on. Divorce Songs has just the kind of bitter rockers you need for those long drives home from work or to your next basement show.
7.5 out of 10 - John-Michael Bond
RIYL: Fugazi, Jawbox or Sparta

Scene Point Blank
United States are back, following up their Fuck It Tapes cassette release with an pseudo-urgent catcall of angular and somewhat disjointed full-length tunes on an album entitled Divorce Songs. The band is from Brooklyn and these songs, according to the one sheet, are about ”surviving the city, struggling in the city and learning in the city.” The lyrical content definitely echoes those sentiments throughout these eight songs, but the point is unintentionally muted and buried beneath flat production and a bevy self-imposed influential barriers.
Apparently the guys in United States got sick of screamo, because this is quite a stones throw away from their previous endeavors: The Assistant, Scent of Human History and Sometimes Walking, Sometimes Running. United States play an interesting blend of punk rock, old D.C. hardcore and have a RIYL roster that ranges from early Sonic Youth to Fugazi. Both of which apply to varying degrees on Divorce Songs, which for thirty-two minutes tries to make us understand city life and all it encompasses during it's eight songs. But after listening, it is apparent that a half hour is not quite enough, as the record is only moderately successful.
Divorce Songs starts off with a song of the same name and immediately you get a sense for what this band is about. Punk rock ideas presented in a non-conventional approach, a band abstract in it's compositions with jagged guitar riffing and half-sung, yet only slightly insightful vocals about aspects of city life and its inhabitants. Representation of the aforementioned bands is shown on Divorce Songs but as a whole it's missing the solidness of what made those bands so influential in their time.
Politics, either personal or political always add some sort of other dimension to the way a particular band is viewed. This can be a negative or positive and in this case it seems to work against United States, as there is really nothing to latch onto in these songs. No solid ideas are clearly laid out in the liner notes as to what the songs are pertaining to, and these personally political politics present nothing to sink our teeth into, which tarnish the already hazy ideas of what the songs are about.
The music is a different beast however; it drives the record forward and adds a kinetic and sometimes anthem-laced quality to the songs. “West River,” the second song on the record is United States at their best: ferocious, clear-cut and urgent. By the time Justin Sullivan starts singing “I just don't wanna be like that/ I just don't wanna be like that/ Not such a novel idea after all” you will be completely stoked on the rest of the record, so it is unfortunate to say that after listening to the whole record, the other six songs refuse to deliver the urgency and relevance of the previous few.
Divorce Songs is not a terrible album by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been so much more than what it is. It is severely marred by an unforgiving aspect: the recording quality, which makes the record fall flat on its face. Production is crucial for a band like United States. Case in point: these songs are supposed to gleam with a sort of filthy rawness a la' D.I.Y. sort of production, but the fidelity of this particular recording is the catalyst to why these songs refuse to hit as hard as they were intended to. It's hard to feel the urgency of a band whose songs are supposed to have an urgent tinge to them when you can't discern what is going on in the recording. Everything is at an even keel in the mix and nothing stands out at any time, which makes for lackluster listening. I'm no audiophile, and I'm not here to review what the record could have been, but after hearing Divorce Songs, it seems that United States has missed an opportunity with the recording and mixing of this joint.
Divorce Songs is probably going to be one of those love/hate relationship records for most people, for some (most likely, people predisposed to Fugazi and bands cut from the same cloth) it will hit the sweet spot and others will be turned off by its sub par production and lack of true defining features. It has some good tunes, some mediocre and some sloppy-- far from perfect and a long shot from terrible, this album takes the forgettable middle ground, but sticks with you longer than its thirty-two minute run time.
6.1 / 10 By Justin W.

Dumpin.net
I could see United States easily fitting in with bands like Braid, The Promise Ring and Piebald, all before they got mega famous. United States doesn't really sound like any of those bands. If anything, they are more D.C./Fugazi influenced. I mean I could actually imagine United States fitting in with these guys on a show ten years ago. They're the type of band you would imagine got interviewed in Anti-Matter and Norm wrote something about meeting the singer in a vegetarian restaurant and how they've shared a special friendship ever since.
Lately, there's been a lot of bands really successfully aping the past. This isn't so much a band that was influenced by the post hardcore/emo of '96, but morseo a band that was influenced by the influences of the post hardcore/emo of '96. It's kind of a weird mindfuck theory, I know, but it's true.
Nonetheless, if you pick up what I'm putting down, this is a great CD. It just has this energy and genuineness about it that most bands lack. If you are a dude who grew up in the 90's wearing a sweater to shows and dating a girl with a short haircut, this CD will make you grab on to your backpack straps and sway back and forth. If you're a kid growing up right now wearing thrift store clothes even though your parents could provide you with new clothes and you're dating a girl who wears the same size jeans as you, you can erratically snap your fingers and knock your knees like Navin Johnson to this CD, and that's the beauty of it. It brings together sensitive types from all different time lines to go fly kites and write journals with each other. You can't ask for anything more.- Mike Dikk

Screamingbloodymess.com
Energetic songwriting that falls to the indie rock side of post punk, you know that early Jawbox sound or what Cursive seemed to be dong around the time they were writing ’Domestica’. Like that record many of the themes on ‚’Divorce Songs’ seem to be about loss. 'Turn out the lights/Walk straight home in the middle of the night/ I used to say "I love you" Now i say "Goodbye" sings Justin S on the album highlight 'West River'. lsewhere
A refereshing element of the 8 songs is their different and varied arrangements. 'Grand Stand' builds up from bass and simple percussion to a plaintive chant "I want to say something now- too late". Dude it getting shit on by something or someone. The song like the record is a real grower though.

Pastepunk.com
Review by Jordan A. BakerBrooklyn's UNITED STATES (ex-THE INSURGENT, THE ASSISTANT and a whole bunch more) are a noisy, brash five piece that channel a serious obsession with Dischord Records favorites EMBRACE, RITES OF SPRING, and FUGAZI. While citing those three bands may be the easy way out of describing the band's sound in more descriptive tunes, it's a sureshot that anyone hearing UNITED STATES will immediately think of at least one of those bands, presuming their musical awareness stretches so far. And this is far, far from a bad thing. Much like the END OF A YEAR disc that Revelation put out this year, this kind of post-hardcore/emo sound never falls out of fashion, especially when played skillfully... something that UNITED STATES has nothing to worry about. From the whirlwind rhythms of "Depression Music," to the mesmerizing, building guitar intro to "Absentee Ballot," and the lyrically stellar "Radio On," Divorce Songs is a full-length that has no time for stagnation. If there's a clearly visible drawback to this release, it's that it was recorded in only two days and the overall feeling is fairly lo-fi. Of course, that RITES OF SPRING disc didn't sound too hot either in its time (or even with a thorough remastering), but that was 20 something years ago. Still, UNITED STATES do their influences proud, and impress with plenty of lyrical wit and substance, factors that make Divorce Songs an obvious keeper.

Flying Aspidistra #2
Rating: Mr. Senor Love Daddy
My experience with US is kind of weird. I saw this now "indefinite hiatus-ed" band three times. The first time I chalked them up as just another of those Brooklyn-hipster bands and promptly walked away. The second time I all but ignored them. I have a particular brand of apathy for those kinds of bands. I guess because I used to listen to a lot of them about five years ago and when my girlfriend broke up with me all those bands reminded me of her. Whatever. The third time I noticed this band was really good. It was unfortunately also their last ho-down. Something about their brand of Cursive-meets-Fugazi rock and roll is particularly catchy and more often than not culminates in some serious rock and rolling. More importantly; it's very honest. That's all I really care about in my music; honesty and rockety. There is an occasional awkward moment with this band thought; a lyrical line that doesn't ring true or a guitar line ripped right from Matador/Sub Pop back catalogs. Pick this up if you enjoy the harder side of Indie Rock.

Centerfuse.net
UNITED STATES is a bunch of dudes from screamo bands (the assistant, scent of human history) moving on with the times and trying their hand at DC post hardcore, with mixed results. lots of FUGAZI worship, which is well done. also lots of stuff kinda heading more down the indie rock path, ala MENEGUAR (who, in case you didnt know, are excellent). the results of this mish mash sound good on a song by song basis but as a cohesive album lack flow. also production could be better/louder. i guess they would call it "diy" production. not a bad record but dont kill anyone driving to the store to pick it up.

Slug And Lettuce #88
United States - Divorce Songs
The United States is what happens when a bunch of dudes from New York punk bands decide that they want to play in a post-punk band. The United States has people from Ringers, Bent Outta Shape and The Assistant. I think I like those bands better, but maybe if you like your punk rock a little more post-punk, then this is for you. The press release compares it to Fugazi or Sister-era Sonic Youth. I guess I kinda see that, but not exactly. - tnt

New Scheme #15
Based in Brooklyn, United States is comprised of ex-members of metro area stalwarts such as The Insurgent, the Assistant and Sometimes Walking Sometimes Running. This was one of my favorite releases of this issue. Divorce Songs consists of eight stripped down, but still catchy post hardcore tracks that show a variety of influences and are executed with their own signature. Some reference points useful in describing United States sound are Cursive, Q and Not U, the more accessible Sonic Youth stuff, and Fugazi. The album opens with the title track, which is a good starting point for the album. It is raw and urgent sounding, but with catchy vocals and a measured use of distortion. "Radio On" and "Apartments" were the two other songs on this disc that really held my attention. The only song I found myself skipping over on repeat listens was "Grand Stand", a slow and plodding track that lacks the punch and imagination of the rest of the album.
Lyrically, United States tackle subjects both personal and political and are able to do it without falling victim to the shallowness and cliches that often plague bands in this genre. Listening to and enjoying music is a subjective endeavor, especially in the post-everything world, so I am aware this is just my opinion, but I think United States are clearly one of the better bands doing this kind of thing today. If you like the bands mentioned above or are just into independent rock music in general, I strongly suggest you check this band out. One quick note: I have always though United States would be a cool name for a band. In a way I am upset someone beat me to it, but on the other hand I am glad my artistic/appellation vision has been brought to fruition. And considering the chances of me ever having a band to name being extremely slim, this is probably the best I could hope for. - Andre Medrano