Even if you don’t actively listen to pop-punk quintet As It Is, it’s more than likely you’ll have heard their name crop up somewhere within the music scene. Since the release of 2015 debut ‘Never Happy, Ever After’ this Brighton via Minnesota band have grown stronger: headline UK tours, US tours supporting the likes of State Champs, jaunts through Europe and Japan, and festivals slots at Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, and Slam Dunk.
Following on from the success of their debut, As It Is return with ‘okay.’ and it’s an absolute treat. ‘Pretty Little Distance’ kick-starts the album with intense melody and grace; the finesse that’s pulled off through this opening track is immense and will immediately leave listeners hooked. Bouncy chord progressions make up ‘Soap’, creating a punchy track, while ‘Hey Rachel’ flourishes with a bold and dynamic energy.
As It Is continue with the vibrant ‘No Way Out’ and ‘Until I Return’, whilst plucking heart strings in the spirited ‘The Coast Is Where Home Is’ but it is ‘Patchwork Love’ that is a true highlight. It’s infectious and swings a real punch with their quirky riffs, layered with Patty Walters’ tenacious vocals – it’s powerful and fun; packed with killer hooks and choruses, something that’s reflected throughout the album.
‘okay.’ is better than okay – it’s a brilliant pop-punk album, packed with an unrelenting energy and breath-taking maturity that shows just how much As It Is have grown over the last few years. They’ve created something that’s brutally transparent and honest and, above all, it carries the incredibly important message that, sometimes, it’s okay to not feel okay.
JESS TAGLIANI