"Cross My Heart lets the guitars truly wail and presents a powerful interpretation of the ever-evolving emo standard. Everything works. Passion, man. That's here in droves. You know, it's called emo for a reason. The psychic urgency of the lyrics and riffage makes listening imperative. No choice. This stuff impels me to turn up the volume and contemplate. The best music takes hold of the soul and doesn't let go. There's a hook which slowly snags itself on the heart, and once it pierces, escape is a futile dream." - Aiding And Abetting

"Cross My Heart conjures up post-hardcore's intense sense of desperation and alienation, but the songs maintain an indisputable pop-like catchiness. Astounding production, blending the muscular with the melodious." - CMJ

"Can you believe it? The infinitely faultless Deep Elm Records come with with yet another infinitely faultless release, this time from the gloriously talented CROSS MY HEART. This is superb, like the ultimate mix of slow emo rock a la Brandtson and the less hardcore moments of Boy Sets Fire meets Samiam. And then elements of Promise Ring come to mind too, but CROSS MY HEART just piss all over that band (who really are terribly over-rated y'know) and also have this startling tendency to break the emotive subtleties that hold their songs together and get all powerful and screamy, again very much in a Boy Sets Fire kind of way. Of course I'll regret saying this once Deep Elm have a few more releases under their belt in the months to come, but for now, and without a hesitation in my mind, CROSS MY HEART are my favourite Deep Elm band so far. There, said it." - Fracture

"An empathetic musical assault from Baltimore. Slick guitar work acts like a metaphorical anchor to these seven tracks. Sometimes quietly volatile, sometimes uproariously stormy, Cross My Heart waver between emotional stability and staving off emotional outbursts. Quietly plucked guitar chords match the smooth and successively inflamed vocals. The closing track of the CD, "The Hypnotist," is exactly that: a short burst of wavering guitar feedback calmly induces a glazed-over stupor, as serene vocals burrow not only into the band's memories, but also your own." - Splendid

"This is an amazing band, and one that I'm really really excited about. Cross My Heart play traditional rock, and they do it well, with sonic sounds, and straight to the point rock numbers. This EP opens up with the track 'dornier' and it begins hitting you right from the start, with its Quicksand-like basslines and guitar-like chorus. This is one of my favorite songs right now, and I could write an entire review just on that song. But there are six other songs on here, most of which are full of twists and turns that give out quiet and emotive parts, as well as straight-up hooky rock parts. 'Track five' is an instrumental, guitar-only track, and I'm not really too sure of its existence on this, but. . . it's there, stuck right between a rather Karate sounding 'determination' and a very upbeat groove-oriented post-hardcore/rock type song in 'secret to tell.' So yeah, it's freakin' awesome, it's just too bad it's so short. Fans of Karate and Quicksand type rock would be most likely to enjoy this perfect mix of power and catchy chord based rock. You need a hook, you've come to the right place." - RocketFuel

"Despite themes of listlessness and despair, Cross My Heart manages to engulf you in a sound that is piercing, perfect, dysfunctional, restless and powerful. A careful arrangement of elements and attention to detail, Led by the enigmatic, never whiny, vocals of Ryan Shelkett." - Skratch

"There's a lot of power on here. Within the first ten seconds of the first track I was sucked into it. I reveled in it. The joy and heartache of it all...XMH plays emotional rock and roll. The production is great and it's not discordant or distorted. Straight ahead, hit you between-the-eyes rock. The vocals are really good too, without cracking but strongly staying on key. Some of the kids in here were in Blank, the big punk band outta Baltimore. Solid lyrics that convey a lot of feeling and are truly poetic. Unfortunately, like all good EP's, I'm left with a desire for more. I guess I just have to wait. Definitely for fans of Mineral, Jets To Brazil and Superchunk." - Building Adam

"Cross My Heart undeniably set themselves apart from their ever-increasing homogenized contemporaries. Contingent with each song is an invitation for the listener to become involved in the introspective journey at hand, but with the understanding that a sense of relief will ultimately be provided. By album's end, the overall vibe is a positive one - a rehabilitative sense, perhaps. Did I mention that these boys can rock? A song like "Today I Discovered the World" demonstrates that deep, sensitive music doesn't have to be confined to sleepy instrumentation and denial of all aggressive urges. Cross My Heart recognizes the importance of both visceral and cerebral approaches to emotional music." - Pitchfork

"The worst thing about this record is that it's an EP. I wanted to hear a lot more than just seven songs from this extremely talented bunch of guys. If you like your emo in the vein of Sensefield, Quicksand or Samiam, then you'll love Cross My Heart. They've mastered the art of controlled release: quiet, subdued verses often break into abrasive choral passages and then become near-sublime again. While this is nothing new, it doesn't seem trite here. XMH successfully combines the visceral and cerebral to produce a truly stunning product. I was hooked immediately by the Sergio Vega-esque bassline that starts off the album's opener "dornier," and after that it was thirty minutes of pure bliss...well, as blissful as ruminating over failed relationships and loss can be; it is emo, after all. However, I must say that "secret to tell" is a pretty upbeat song (musically, at least), and a fine example of what the post-hardcore music world should be, a la Handsome. I can't wait for the full length from this band." - Space City Rock

"The songs sound great, effortlessly well produced, big sounding, melodic, rocking. All that stuff. It all seems too easy. Lovely slow bits, blending with whopping heavy sections and shoutier vocals. As I said before it sounds good. Then there is "Determination" which starts out all slow and lumbering, before the big chorus...awesome, twinkly guitar parts. All the albums I have off the Deep Elm label I like." - Collective

Dornier snow flakes melt. running down the rotor. falling like teardrops. this trip is almost over. strike back at the hand. held my breath for a moment. waited for the words to come. still none surrender feelings faster. forever's fleeting moment passed. and you have too. don't ever waste a single moment. flying today. finding my way home. i wouldn't stay home. first time flying It Doesn't Take That Many Pills To Sleep Forever today i packed all my things. how many things do i need. tomorrow i'm moving from paine street. i guess this is goodbye. and i'm moving on my own two feet. just to get my direction. and the movement of my own two eyes. catch a reflection of me alone. is this why i'm terrified. waiting there you are watching. watching me drowning. depression has settled in again. how many days will this go on. time takes time. how many days will i take. now you are drowning. goodbye Today I Discovered The World and to think this could last forever. is just a childhood dream. standing on the corner. someone spoke to me. and i remember all the details. of when we were friends. and the beginning of the end. someone spoke your name. today i'm holding back the tears. standing here on my stairs. today you're the answer. you're the answer. and i wouldn't mind. let me know. just let me know Determination could you resist my company. could you resist when you're overboard. and you your getting older. while you have a clue. right or wrong. won't you sing loud. you could settle me. settle me over. you could settle these. settle these old scores. could you resist knowing the fate of your own life. could you resist when you're overboard. you could settle me Track Five (instrumental) Secret To Tell you say it so well. i couldn't say it better myself. you hide it so well. i couldn't tell. you know there's times when i worry. you know there's lives shattered and broken. it's on your face it's in your eyes. but i wouldn't give you more. but i wouldn't chase you away. secret to tell. but i wouldn't i couldn't chase you away The Hypnotist light wanted to bare it all. transmission to show my dark side. why would you try. to come back to a world that's not quite your own. where are my days. for the rest of my life. you are what you see. at the count of three you'll be here with me. these memories you can remember everything