Where There's Life | EP Review

Edinburgh’s Where There’s Life have just released their new self-titled EP, which combines pop punk with heavier fragments, similar to the likes of Four Year Strong and A Day To Remember. The EP contains 5 relentless tracks which get the balance between heaviness and pop punk just right 

First of all, the EP launches into Wasted. Although the song is just over a minute long, it sets the EP off at the right pace with upbeat, melodic vocals and bold riffs.  

Up next is Lego which opens with a punchy riff. The song is vivacious and parades an abundance of energy, aided by an unforgettable chorus. The song also holds an impressive breakdown three quarters of the way through unleashing the bands heavier pop punk side.

The third track is Where We Go. The introduction is bouncy with an impressive vocal melody that immediately grasps your attention. The song is buoyant and uplifting, exhibiting a profusion of energy. The gang vocals towards serve the band well, creating a perfect excuse to sing along.

Twenty Three displays Where There’s Life’s more fervent side and they pull it off well. From just listening to this track, it would be hard to guess that the previous three tracks were cheery pop punk anthems. The song displays impassioned lyrics and coincides with vehement vocals.

Anchors returns Where There’s Life to more their chilled side. The song has a poppy chorus complimented by amiable riffs. The song is straightforward but enticing, harbouring a crisp riff just as it ends, prompting you to hit replay.  

Overall, Where There’s Life have put together an impressive EP, especially considering it was recorded in their guitarist's bedroom without external help. The juxtaposition of the soft vocals and the heavy guitar parts are a nice touch and although it’s nothing new, Where There’s Life have made it their own and have done an incredible job of it. The lyrics denote youthful themes but at no point are they futile or credulous, displaying a mature flare. If you’re a fan of Four Year Strong, A Day To Remember or Me vs Hero, definitely give these guys a listen. 

Check out the EP below:



Where There's Life's Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Soundcloud

Tigerstyle | Where Do We Go From Here | Review

Tigerstyle, who hail from Northampton, have just released their third EP, Where Do We Go From Here. Tigerstyle are yet another example of an up and coming UK band who prove that pop punk doesn't just belong the US. The EP consists of four fast-paced, melodious songs which add another awesome addition to Tigerstyle's repertoire. 

The EP opens with Barefoot. The lyrics for Barefoot are dark, cluttered with unconcealed emotion. The pace is sporadic complimented by dynamic guitar parts that are gripping from the off-set. 

Pages is up next which makes for a more upbeat,catchy and invigorating song. The song starts with charming intro which quickly leads into an uplifting guitar riff accompanied by sincere lyrics that denote themes of summer and being young. Signals, the third track, is a fast-paced, buoyant song.The vocal melody is unforgettable brimming with youthful angst and engrossing guitar hooks. 

Projections is the final track on the EP. Like Signals, Projections has a captivating chorus laden with energetic riffs and an impeccable rhythm  

Overall, Where Do We Go From Here is a solid effort from Tigerstyle. They've managed to create a proficient, impassioned EP that will appeal to the majority of pop punk fans. The EP consists of everything that makes for a striking pop punk sound; breakneck tempos, engaging riffs and infectious vocal melodies.

Where Do We Go From Here is out now! Get it for free on Bandcamp until 19/06/15:


Tigerstyle's Facebook | Twitter 

Get Up Go | Interview

If you're looking for some new pop punk to listen to over the summer months, you have come to the right place. Manchester four-piece, Get Up Go, are just about to release their sophomore EP, You Jump, I Jump. The EP consists of three songs which incorporate raw energy, infectious melodies and thrilling riffs. We asked Get Up Go a few questions about what we could expect from their new EP... 

HOW ARE YOU GUYS?

We're fantastic with a capital F! How could we be any lower? I mean, we just dropped a new video, we have an awesome new EP coming out and we are still rocking out with every waking breath.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME FOR YOU JUMP, I JUMP?

Anders. It's always Anders. He comes up with the names we just pick one that we like. He probably has some sort of soppy meaningful reason for it, or its a line from one of his favourite rom-coms but we all liked it. It's kind of a reminder that being in a band is the epitome of teamwork and if any of these guys said jump, the rest would ask "how high?", no matter what.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE RECORDING PROCESS...

It was really fun, as per usual. Granted, we had a couple of late nights and struggles with arrangement and such but on the whole we really love the whole process. We also noticed how much better at it we had gotten since last time. We were a lot better rehearsed and much more relaxed going in. It shows through in the recordings. We had no stress and lots of laughs.

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOU JUMP, I JUMP IN 5 WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

If you're looking for a statement we'd say... Fun loving, good time tunes!

Or were you looking for separate words? In that case Big, fast, bouncy, uplifting, singalong.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM YOU JUMP, I JUMP AND WHY?

Collectively I feel it's 'BK, Like OMG!' Hence the reason we chose to shoot a video for it. It's about something we all hold dear to our hearts and that love will never EVER die. Not ever!

HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT PICKING THE ARTWORK FOR YOU JUMP, I JUMP?

We did what we always do, butt heads for about a week before someone says "Let's do this!" Then we all agree. We made it ourselves. We like to put that extra touch into the releases because we're proud and we want to show our creativity within every aspect of what we do.

You Jump, I Jump is out June 1st. Check out the video for BK, Like OMG! below:

Get Up Go's Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

Trash Boat - Look Alive Review

Trash Boat have only officially been a band since the beginning of 2014 but from listening to Look Alive, you would never have guessed it. As Trash Boat's first musical endeavor, the EP shows no hint of weakness and is an impressive mixture of memorable melodies, youthful affirmations and an abundance of energy; the perfect musical accessory for summer. 
Cluttered Sign is an absorbing opener to the EP. The opening riff is a gentle start but the pace soon picks up and it turns into a compelling track about past experiences affecting us in the present moment.
The second track Boneless is an impressive profusion of youthful energy with a striking chorus. The track talks about past experiences, specifically illness, and how it can make us who we are today (for more information behind the meaning behind the songs click here).
Gnarmalade is the most aggressive song on the EP, with a fast paced beat and raw vocals. The song could easily be a an extra track from Set Your Goal's This will be the Death of Us or Sum 41's Chuck. 
The last track Lock In shows no fault throughout, from the verse to the chorus the song is monumental in every way. The song starts as a melodic outset and becomes an expeditious incursion of energy that provides an infallible close to the album. 
Overall, Trash Boat's EP is an impressive first release, especially as they have officially been a band since the start of the year. If you're a fan of Major League or ROAM this EP is definitely for you. Make sure you pick up a copy on June 23rd or download Boneless for free on Trash Boat's bandcamp.  

Homebound Coming of Age Review

Homebound have spent a year writing the songs which make up their debut EP 'Coming of Age'. The EP consists of songs penned about regret, learning from past experience and just growing up in general. The outcome has resulted in an excellent EP that is an impressive first release from the band.
Valor is a striking start to 'Coming of Age'. Although it's only a minute and a half long, it delivers a bold kick off for the EP. The second track,Turning Point, is an fun and upbeat track with an infectious verse and chorus. The drum beat alone is enough to get you on your feet and sing along.
High Ground is a dynamic mix of energy and vehement vocals. Throughout the whole EP the vocals are strong and vigorous, allowing the listener to really grasp the message of the song and nowhere is this more true than in High Ground, a song about learning from past experience and conflicting interests. 
The fourth track, Clutching Straws, is a return to an old school style. The band admit that the riff after the chorus pays homage to Blink 182 and it definitely suites them. The song is vivacious and buoyant, resulting in an upbeat track about not giving up on something you're passionate about. 
Again, Second Best and No Regret displays ardent vocals, prominent guitar and lively drums. The band state that this is the song they are most proud of and they definitely should be as you'll be singing the lyrics all day. 
Coming of Age, the title track, displays a catchy riff that leaves the song engraved on your memory. The song changes pace throughout and has an impressive build up before the chorus comes storming in. The track conveys a message that most of us can relate to; not knowing where to go in life, living up to expectations and choosing your own path. 
Overall Homebound's concoction of heartfelt lyrics, catchy riffs and dynamic drums makes for a brilliant first release. It's clear the band have put a lot of thought and effort into 'Coming of Age' and if you're a fan of ROAM or Handguns you should definitely pick this up on July 21st.   
Check out the meaning behind Homebound's songs here.

Trash Boat - Look Alive - Track by Track Guide

Though only officially founded at the start of 2014, pop-punk quintet Trash Boat have already played their first shows and recorded their debut E.P, ‘Look Alive’, which is set for release 23rd June. Bursting with buoyant guitar licks and the kind of vocal melodies you only need to hear once before they’re imprinted on your temporal lobe, ‘Look Alive’ is a formidable first strike from Trash Boat’s arsenal. Here vocalist Tobi gives us some insight into the creation of the EP… 

'Most of the writing for the EP tracks took place in Oak’s room, we’d play around with riffs, record them on his computer and generally spend hours doing trial and error to see what sounded good. When we all went home or to work we would still be sending each other ideas we recorded on our phones and ideas for the vocals. 

Every song was pretty slow to begin with, trying stuff out, binning it, repeat etc, refining it each step of the way. But once we had an idea we thought was solid for each song, it was really fun to build on and stuff started to flow. We spent a good few months ironing out creases and changing bits here and there, but once we were happy we booked our time at the Ranch House Studio and went down there to stay for the week. We smashed it out, had a cool time and we’re really pleased with how it has turned out. 

Cluttered and Boneless are very similar, they use the same base when it comes to theme I just went in two different directions with it. ‘Boneless’ is very blunt and honest, it’s an insight into the previous few years of my life in which I had faced some drastic lifestyle changes due to a lot of knee surgery, stuff got pretty bleak pretty fast. I met the guys in Trash Boat right about the time I started to get my shit together and it was really fun to write about it all. The lyrics to boneless are pretty bleak but I’m not in a bad place, that’s the point of the song, I’ve grown from that and can now look back and appreciate that those experiences are why I am who I am today. 

Cluttered uses similar elements, but it’s less macroscopic than Boneless, Boneless looks back at those experiences over the entire period, Cluttered is how they were effecting me in the present moment and influencing my song writing. Gnarmalade is my favourite track ‘cos it’s got the most energy. The lyrics came from a part of me that changed during the recovery periods; I was bedridden for a period and started boning up on social issues, activisms and the like. Everyone always has a really detailed opinion on stuff like that so I won’t go really deep into it, but it was great to be able to put that time to positive use. Gnarmalade (lyrically and musically) is the first of many similar Trash Boat tunes. 

Lock in is written about an old friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in ages, he called me up one night and asked me for a lift to a mates house which I thought was weird but he seemed in a bit of a state so I said yes. Unfortunately life wasn’t going great for him and his family and friends weren’t doing him a lot of good. It made me think about how lucky I am to have such a cool group of friends and supportive family around me, most likely the main reason I’m doing so well today and able to reflect on things with a clear and happy head. 

Playing this EP live is what it’s all about, and I can’t think of anything more fun, we get a really good crowd participation thing going, with Boneless especially. I can’t wait to take it on tour and play to as many people as possible.'

Listen to Boneless: 

Trash Boat ‘Look Alive’ released 23rd June 

Go give Trash Boat a Facebook like here. 

Firestarter Stream EP on POZ

Firestarter are streaming their new EP, Forget the Past, over on Property of Zack. The official release date is May 13th but the EP is streaming a week early. Listen to Forget the Past here.

Game Changer: EP Review

Illinois pop punk band Game Changer recently released their EP Three Years. Packed with youthful energy, this is the kind of EP that will remind you of early pop punk bands such as The Ataris. The intro leads into an EP that is packed with vigorous emotion that will remind any listener of their adolescence. 

Tracks on the EP such as Moving On are perfect examples of the emotional fervor that encapsulate the EP. The track communicates loneliness and 'letting go', something that is relatable to any listener. The vocals seem to compliment this with their raw vehemence.

Things seem to become more elated on the title tack Three Years. The fast pace and catchy lyrics are the perfect blend of early pop punk but with a unique twist.

Overall the EP really is a reminder of youthfulness and adolescence; both in the sense of it's similarity with early pop punk and the truthful lyrics. Also at $2 ( £1.26) the is definitely worth downloading...

Three Years:

Listen/Download Three Years here

New Neck Deep EP 'A History of Bad Decisions'

Neck Deep have released a new EP entitled 'A History of Bad Decisions'. You can download the EP for a 'pay what you want download'. Alternative Press is also streaming the album on their website:

http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/ep_premiere_neck_deep_a_history_of_bad_decisions

Track List:

1. Up in smoke

2. Tables Turned

3. Head to the Ground

Dogs Eating Dogs - Blink 182 REVIEW

'Dogs Eating Dogs' is the kind of EP we'd come to expect from the 'mature' Blink 182. It takes its influence from all the members various side projects; from Angels and Airwaves to +44, whilst still retaining the 'Blink 182 sound'.

The EP's first track starts with a synth-ey instrumental intro before plunging the listener into a fast paced verse by DeLonge, his vocals sounding like his best in some time. This is pushed forward by Travis Barker's crisp hi hat beat and a rumbling Hoppus bassline. The song then soars into a chorus of DeLonge singing "This is the worst damn day of my life". It's catchy, loud and most importantly, heavy. The EP then moves onto the title track, which is another banger. This is the only track on the EP led by Hoppus vocally, and he too impresses. These two songs show and urgency which hasn't been heard since 'Dude Ranch'.

Just when you think that maybe Blink 182 have matured gracefully after their 2011 mid-life crisis album 'Neighbourhoods'you get brought back to reality by the EP's third track 'Disaster', which doesn't exactly excite. The song, minus the please-get-into-it intro,is around two minutes long but feels much longer. Especially with its goofy chorus "What do you fear, my love?/Your soul, it will float like a dove". This embarrassing part of the EP is second only to fourth song 'Boxing Day' which see's Blink attempting to venture into folk territory. It's laughable. It's actually awkward to listen to, with a four chord acoustic guitar progression, unfitting drums and lyrics such as "I'm empty like the day after christmas", you'd expect this in an Xmas no.1 not a Blink 182 song.

The EP finishes with the song 'Pretty Little Girl' which starts pleasantly enough with a DeLonge sung verse which, after the last two songs makes the listener either excited or concerned. The song then goes into another forgettable chorus which atleast features those loveable DeLonge-Hoppus harmonies, before yet another synth driven section. Just when you start wishing the EP would finish gracefully, guest rapper Yelawolf pops up awkwardly with a 35-second rap which does not seem to serve any purpose whatsoever, aside from to confirm that Blink 182 haven't quite figured out the meaning of a 'mature' sound. This EP coupled with 'Neighbourhoods' leaves me with the impression that Blink seem to think 'mature' means 'synth', the synths however are completely unnecessary and out of place most of the time.

All in all, considering the EP was written and recorded in two months, the first two tracks impress hugely. The opening track is head and shoulders above any tracks realesed since their self-titled album in 2003 and should give Blink 182 fans hope that maybe there is still some life left in Blink 182 yet. However, the last three tracks really need to be deleted from Blink 182 history as they do nothing for their legacy.

5/10

James Atherton