f you like Pop Punk that isn’t just cynically packaged pop, like back when dudes could do punk with melodies and still sound like they were were turned up to 11 and rocking the fuck out with massive shit eating grins and buckets of energy, then you’ll love Still Rings True. I’m thinking mainly about early Saves The Day, the energy (but not the style) of Latterman and a bit of Lifetime thrown in. There are some Set Your Goals style riffs and vocally there are plenty of moments than reminded me of Wonder Years, and that comparison holds thematically as well – this is quite an upbeat record from a cynical/jaded place.
The 10 tracks zip past in 31 minutes, just preventing the similarities throughout from outstaying their welcome. Nothing here is radically different, there isn’t a token acoustic track – it’s just 10 tracks of balls to the wall punk pop that makes you want to get drunk and scream the lyrics at the top of your voice. Like I did. IF WE JUST STICK TOGETHER, WHO CAN STOP US NOW?
Oddly enough these guys don’t actually appear to be signed, and considering that, this is an outstanding record. I’ve heard major label backed ‘punk’ that doesn’t come close to this. I Wouldn’t Call This Living is incredible, with gang vocals and melodies that wouldn’t be out of place in a lot of the Punktastic readership’s CD collections. If you listen to tracks like We’re Not Dead Yet or the title track I Wouldn’t Call This Living and don’t nod your head a bit, or at least crack a partial smile you’re technically dead. Scientific fact.
Kieran