It’s too bad that Copeland is choosing now to break up, because their last album, You Are My Sunshine, is easily the best of their 10-year career. On tracks like “Morning Fire Eater,” Aaron Marsh’s voice is melodic and pitch-perfect; gone is the emo-tinged whine that characterized 2005’s In Motion. Copeland has been regularly lumped with emo and hardcore bands like Anberlin and Underoath, but even at Marsh’s melodramatic worst, those associations never seemed a logical fit. Piano-driven and lo-fi, Copeland is more orchestral pop than anything else, sharing characteristics with Saddle Creek bands like Azure Ray. You Are My Sunshine is a lovely but intense record, showcasing the band’s gift for layered composition. If every Copeland record had sounded this way, maybe the band’s end would be less bittersweet. With I Can Make a Mess Like Nobodys Business, Person L, Deas Vail. PAIGE RICHMOND
Mon., March 22, 8 p.m., 2010
